Driftwood
People and wood are similar to one another in that both branch out and travel. There are lots of adjectives to describe a person that travels, however, traveling wood is best described as drifting, or simply driftwood.
If you’ve ever been to a lake, a river or the ocean, you have most likely picked up a piece of driftwood, carried it with you to enjoy its beauty.
The Science of Driftwood
Driftwood is sometimes considered a nuisance, but driftwood is an important part of nature. It serves as a shelter for birds and other animal species that live near water. Driftwood is also important to the ecosystem. Aquatic species, along with bacteria decompose drifting wood, turning it into nutrients which are reintroduced to the food cycle. The science of driftwood is fascinating!
Reclaiming Driftwood
There is also a cosmetic side to driftwood. Driftwood can be reclaimed by using it to make beautiful art.
Next time you are drifting down a coastline, pick up a piece. You never know where your imagination may take you!
The pictures here show a fence that was assembled out of driftwood found on the Northern California coastline. With the help of Troy Domier Builder, the owners of this beach cottage decided to make a fence that represented the beauty of their environment.
If you decide to reclaim driftwood for a project, remember to check the local laws and regulations that apply to collecting wood from public land.
Found a piece of driftwood in a flood deposit (dam) on the ‘Cache La Poudre River’ years ago, that has been my walking staff for 20 years. We’re both still traveling Together………………………