Etraya Network

[Here’s Sciel, recording herself. She’s out in the wilderness, wisps of hair caught on the breeze, scarf loose around her neck, face a little flushed from the cold air. She laughs under her breath, holding the camera out at arm’s length; she’s sitting on the hood of a vintage off-road vehicle.]

Salut, mes amies! [A little wave. She speaks with a mild, pragmatic cheer:] In a week, we will be visiting Mesa, where we will be getting samples. Miserable business when you have to cut and run, but we’ll save whatever we can. And with that in mind… I wanted to go over a few very important things in handling plants, both for your safety, and for the survival of the specimens.

[She holds up a hand, raising one finger.]

One… gloves and long sleeves! Many plants secrete oily compounds that can start an allergic reaction. The smoother and shinier the leaves, the more likely you’re looking at something toxic. If you happen to touch something by accident, scrub your exposed skin with soap and water. Don’t scratch or put your fingers in your eyes or mouth, unless you want to risk a very bad time.

[There’s a dull thud of boots on metal as she shimmies across the hood of the vehicle, and she slides down to the ground. Chattering as she goes, and a second finger goes up:]

Two! If you must eat something, test each part against your skin first for a reaction. Roots, stem, leaves and flowers, test all of them separately. If you have no reaction, cook it and rub it on your lip. If there still isn't a reaction, you can try a very small bite. If you’re still fine after a few hours, you’re at much smaller risk than if you did no testing at all.

And with that said, you’ll need to know how to take samples…

[Sciel looks away from the camera for a moment as she focuses on grabbing some things from… somewhere, then she’s tromping across the fields, into a wooded area. She takes a moment to set the camera up where her worksite is visible. It’s a tree with peeling bark and bare branches, the best the winter can offer, but it’ll do.]

Now, I assume we’re not collecting samples in the dead of winter, so you’ll have to imagine I’m doing this with something fresher than a wintering tree… but the principles are the same! Listen carefully:

[This is followed by a candid but thorough explanation of how to take plant cuttings with a sharp knife. Her voice is warm, she makes jokes here or there, but it’s mostly to the point, delivered with the cadence of someone very used to teaching.

By the end, she has several cuttings of different parts of the tree, with notes for habitat descriptions, descriptions of the plant itself, its phenological state, miscellaneous observations –– the notebook she shows off is full of near-illegible chicken scratch, but she can read it, and that’s what matters.

And then she’s done! She smiles at the camera and gives a little gesture with her knife – ta.]

And don’t be a stranger! If you have any questions while you’re out there… I'm Sciel, and you can send me a message any time.