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Hello All! Today's post is about #BotanizingWhileBlack. After posting about the "shotgun method" showing how I collected tree branches for my experiments, I received the question asking, "... do you worry about your safety when doing this?". 1/10
Given the recent climate in our country regarding issues of policing, racial injustices, and an unfortunate encounter between Chris Cooper ( @blackburniannyc), a black man who was birdwatching, and a white woman who called the police, falsely reporting feeling "threatened"... 2/10
... feelings of security and safety in the forest does cross my mind. Have I ever had a dangerous encounter in the forest where I've studied? No. However, the areas of the forest I work in are isolated from trails and the general public. In addition, I am usually... 3/10
... accompanied by the Forest Director or Manager for safety reasons, especially when using a firearm. In cases where I would be collecting tree measurements in residential suburban or rural communities (sans firearm), I unfortunately, would say that, yes, my sense of...4/10
... safety and security would be heightened. I'd wonder how I would be perceived to those who do not look like me, walking from tree to tree. This notion of "not being free" enough to walk in the same spaces without threat of harm or judgement is and continues to be... 5/10
... one of the many reasons BIPOC have historically been denied access to natural or wilderness spaces. This experience for the Black American to discover and enjoy the wilderness by leaving their communities is evident through the simple existence of the "Green Book." 6/10
The Green Book, known as "the Bible of black travel during the Jim Crow" era, highlighted the existence of the inocuous and often times, dangerous racism that prevented Black Americans from leaving their homes to freely explore our nation. 7/10 https://bit.ly/2W4KIho
Today, travel is less threatening and we now have more BIPOC experiencing forests and natural parks than ever before, but the historical footprint still bears its mark and has denied generations of Black Americans from being encouraged to become natural scientists. 8/10
However, through the creation of Green Jobs, environmental justice activism, and outdoor edu programming for BIPOC kids, we're in a better space to encourage curiosity and nature exploration than what their grandparents and great grandparents never had the chance to do. 9/10
Our society still has a long way to go. To feel safe and be able to walk, as a #blackwomeninstem, in a neighborhood or park without question or notion of my intent, would truly let me know, that we've finally created a better world for all of us. 10/10
