"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - Cherokees Forming Native Plant Society

***"The Cherokee Nation is forming a Native Plant Society, with the first meeting will to be held on Thursday, April 12, at 6 p.m., in the Cherokee Nation Tsa-La-Gi Community Room."***

TAHLEQUAH, OKLAHOMA - To better educate the public about the role of plant and wildlife in Cherokee culture, the Cherokee Nation is forming a Native Plant Society. The first meeting will be held on Thursday, April 12, at 6 p.m., in the Cherokee Nation Tsa La Gi Community Room, which is located behind the Restaurant of the Cherokees.

“The environment is vitally important to the past, present and future of the Cherokee Nation,” said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. “By creating the Native Plant Society, every aspect of our culture and heritage will continue on through the knowledge passed down to our younger generations of Cherokees.”

The interest group will meet monthly to discuss the role plants and wildlife play in Cherokee culture and traditions. The goal of the group is to generate interest that will cultivate a wide array of topics that will be both entertaining and useful to people, such as which plants attract wildlife, birds and butterflies, which have medicinal uses and which are good to eat. The overall intent is to preserve and expand the knowledge base of Cherokee plants, their uses and related topics.

“You do not have to be an expert in herbology or biology to take part in the Native Plant Society,” said Pat Gwin, Cherokee Nation Natural Resources Supervisor. “The only real requirement for attending is interest. The meeting is informal and is sure to provide stimulating conversation.”

There is not cost to attend the meeting and everyone is invited. Refreshments will be served.

For more information or to RSVP contact Pat Gwin, phone: 918-453-5704.