https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/201758493
I believe this is the Sitka Spruce (Formally known as Picea Sitchensis). I found this at the end of my street in the morning of 3.8.2024.
This tree is a part of the spruce family, all of which are found in abundance across Alaska. The Sitka Spruce is the most common coastal variant, and is differentiated by 3 key things. The massive heights it can achieve compared to the other spruce on average, the strength of the wood itself, and the extreme preference to coastal areas for growth, as you are rarely going to find one more than 80km away from the coast. (Robert Van Pelt, 2008)
This tree was and still is central to the indigenous peoples of South East Alaska and has a great many uses. It's sap/pitch was and still can be used as a protective agent on smaller wounds, as it keeps the wound clean and free of dirt. The pitch has also seen uses in many other treatments, such as treatments for urinary issues, sore backs, headaches, and even blood poisoning all through different ways of applying or consuming the pitch. The needles have their own fair share of uses, such as using a spruce needle tea as a wash for any area that might have hives or a rash, or drinking small amounts of it to purify the blood. (Eleanor G. Viereck, 1987)
The wood itself is one of the most remarkable things about the tree, as it is quite sturdy and consistent as long as you have a section without any knotting. The color is also sought after as it is very appealing to most people. The indigenous peoples of the Southeast took notice of the amazing functional and aesthetic uses of the spruce wood and fashioned thousands of structures, items, tools, and pieces of art from these fascinating trees.
Pelt, Robert V. "Identifying Mature and Old Forests in Western Washington." Https://Www.Dnr.Wa.Gov, 14 Feb. 2008, www.dnr.wa.gov. Accessed 8 Mar. 2024.
Viereck, Eleanor G. ALASKA’S WILDERNESS MEDICINES. Alaska Northwest Books, 1987. Date Accessed 03.08.2024
Comments
That's a great observation! The Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis) is indeed a remarkable tree, especially in Southeast Alaska. It's fascinating to learn about its significance in the local ecosystem and its many uses by the indigenous peoples. The medicinal applications of its sap/pitch and needles are particularly interesting. It's wonderful that you were able to find and appreciate such a significant tree right at the end of your street. Its pretty cool that this software lets us know just where to find these trees , I might collect some sap myself and self medicate lol
It makes sense to use the most common and strongest wood available when you are going to use a tree to make or build something. I'm not arguing that point, simply stating that because it is the strongest of the most common trees around here, it makes a lot of sense to use it the most. If it grows good here that makes it easy to restore or replace in nature, and the more abundant the resource the better it is for everyone who uses it, especially when you are not taking more than you need. Which is one of the problems that modern society brought to Alaska initially, too much logging.
Another Sitka Spruce! That makes sense here in Alaska, where it is so common. Thanks for sharing with us your observation of this species, and giving us a bit more information about it.
Your MLA format needs some work in terms of parenthetical citations. You often are writing facts without giving credit to the source, which is plagiarism. For example, the first sentence of you second paragraph is a fact: "This tree is a part of the spruce family, all of which are found in abundance across Alaska." You need to follow facts with parenthetical citations.
Additionally, your parenthetical citations need to be correctly formatted. Our owl.purdue website explicitly outlines how to correctly format the types of sources you used:
IN-TEXT CITATIONS: AUTHOR-PAGE STYLE
MLA format follows the author-page method of in-text citation. This means that the author's last name and the page number(s) from which the quotation or paraphrase is taken must appear in the text, and a complete reference should appear on your Works Cited page. The author's name may appear either in the sentence itself or in parentheses following the quotation or paraphrase, but the page number(s) should always appear in the parentheses, not in the text of your sentence. For example:
Wordsworth stated that Romantic poetry was marked by a "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" (263).
Romantic poetry is characterized by the "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" (Wordsworth 263).
Wordsworth extensively explored the role of emotion in the creative process (263).
On the other hand, nice job on your entries in your Works Cited! You even have the sources listed alphabetically. Well done! Just work on correctly using in-text citations to do the most important work of honoring your sources and avoiding any signs of stealing someone else's work/thoughts/ideas!
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