On the Trail Book Club

Put on your walking shoes and join us On the Trail. Get your steps in while discussing fascinating true tales. Bring water & a friend! This will be our last walking club date of the season! 

In October, we'll be discussing The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer. 

As Indigenous scientist and author of Braiding Sweetgrass Robin Wall Kimmerer harvests serviceberries alongside the birds, she considers the ethic of reciprocity that lies at the heart of the gift economy. How, she asks, can we learn from Indigenous wisdom and the plant world to reimagine what we value most? Our economy is rooted in scarcity, competition, and the hoarding of resources, and we have surrendered our values to a system that actively harms what we love. Meanwhile, the serviceberry’s relationship with the natural world is an embodiment of reciprocity, interconnectedness, and gratitude. The tree distributes its wealth—its abundance of sweet, juicy berries—to meet the needs of its natural community. And this distribution ensures its own survival. As Kimmerer explains, “Serviceberries show us another model, one based upon reciprocity, where wealth comes from the quality of your relationships, not from the illusion of self-sufficiency.” The Serviceberry is an antidote to the broken relationships and misguided goals of our times, and a reminder that “hoarding won’t save us, all flourishing is mutual.”

Request the print version HERE.

Request the audiobook on Libby/Overdrive HERE.

Please plan to arrive on time, as the discussion will begin to travel by 8:45 am. All participants will be required to sign a liability waiver at the start of the trail.

All are welcome, Clarkstown residency is not required for this event.

Registration is encouraged. In the event of inclement weather, the discussion will be rescheduled and all registered users will receive an email alerting them of the change.