N is for Natural

What is natural?  In stream morphology (what they look like) there is a stage 1 to 4 and now a stage 0 which is supposed to be what the stream looked like before the any of the four stages.  In forests there is always dynamic changing. For instance following a major disturbance there is a re-establishment of trees, then a closing of the tree canopy to exclude light to the now forest floor.  Following that when the now “stand” of trees begins to change shape as some trees grow faster and some slower openings form allowing new trees to grow. Then, the now mixed age forest with bigger trees and smaller trees and dead trees (snags) and fallen trees (down logs) grows it changes by its growth and by other disturbances until there is another catastrophic disturbance beginning the cycle again.

So is natural a time, physical shape, feeling or even a spiritual connection?

Natural is a word with a lot of meanings, that mean different things to different people.  What it means will depend on background and how they choose to look at something. Natural can be the green of a conifer forest, white sand of a dune or blue of a river.  It can even be on packaging of a purchased item. A backyard or park with planted trees and mowed lawn can be natural as well as the oldest trees in the biggest forest. A home in the woods with a gap created around it for fire resistance can be looked at as natural.  Natural is as natural as natural can be.