Birch magic

When the ground you tread on is as wet as the air you move through it is perfect weather for all these ancient plants that thrive on high humidity. Fungus, Lichen and Moss gulp water through their skins, uncurl and swell until this old birch stump becomes an intricately adorned totem of the forest.
And it is not only decorative but also a monitor of the water purity falling out of the sky. With pollution present fewer and fewer species of lichen will grow. Furthermore, the birch polypore fungus (fomitopsis betulina), amongst its many uses, is a powerful medicine. Made into a tea, It can boost immune systems. It is good for staunching blood from cuts and if you have the bad luck to get a parasitic worm, fungus tea over time will kill it. A strip of its wet skin can be used as a self-adhesive sticking plaster.
Tomorrow I’ve got a school visiting and as their Topic is ‘Into the Woods’ I’ll definitely make the Totem a stop!