WALK, TALK, SNACK at Rockland Lake - 12 September, 2005

By JAMES O'ROURKE
SPECIAL TO THE JOURNAL NEWS

A rare cedar, a cure for poison ivy and a little history gave Rockland Lake walkers more than a taste of their surroundings.

"There are a lot of common backyard plants that people have no idea have an edible or medicinal use," said the leader of the edible-plant nature walk, Peter Cutul yesterday at the Rockland Lake Nature Center.

The center's fall events, which run through mid-October, include programs on the lake, such as its role in the ice-making business.

Cutul pointed out the red berry clusters of the Staghorn Sumac to the few walkers gathered. The berries not only can be eaten, but have been used by past cultures for medicinal purpose.

"The red berry clusters have more vitamin C than an orange," said Cutul. Some cultures have used it to cure sore throats and bronchial ailments, he said.

Jewel weed, he said, is named for the way the orange flowers capture rainwater and other moisture and, in the sun, resemble jewels.

When rubbed on the skin, it is credited with stopping the spread of poison ivy. If used soon enough, he said, it could prevent the rash entirely.

Several plants seen along the tour are connected to the history of the region and its inhabitants.

"The colonists and American Indians and all these other earlier settlers, this is stuff they lived off of," said Bob Calotta of Highland Falls. "You really have to understand how this helped sustain cultures or new colonies or explorers."

Among the trees and plants that Cutul connected to Rockland's past cultures were Indian hemp, which was used by the Lenape Indian tribes as rope; spicebush, which was used by early colonists for brewing tea; and the Atlantic White Cedar, which, because of its buoyancy, was used in ship-making.

Once abundant in the area, it is now believed that Rockland Lake is home to the one remaining Atlantic White Cedar in the county.

The tour came with a warning: Don't eat it without consulting a resource such as a field guide.

"Even though there are so many common plants that are edible or have medicinal properties," he said, "you're always taking a chance if you don't know what you're touching."

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