Birch Bark and Its Many Uses

If you happen to live near a native range of birch trees, then you have a lot of survival options when SHTF. The bark of the birch tree, particularly the white birch, has a cardboard like consistency and it can be used for many things in a survival situation from making containers, to starting a fire to making a canoe and having a source of nourishment. It is however very important to keep in mind that harvesting the bark of a birch, or any tree for that matter, can harm the tree. So I suggest looking for a downed birch tree first before cutting into a live one.

Harvesting a downed birch tree’s bark is easy enough. Simply cut through the outer layer and the bark will peel off easily.

Native Americans have used the bark to make canoes since it is naturally waterproof. They heat the bark to make it more pliable so it can be easily molded around the wooden frames of the canoe and then seal the seams using pine resin.

The bark can be dried and used for roofing or shelter.

The inner bark can also be used to make cordage. Cut long strips from the inner part, separate the fibers and twist them to make a cord or rope.

The inner bark of white birch is edible. It can be cooked and eaten or dried and ground into flour for bread or used as a thickening agent.

The bark also has some medicinal properties. The oil from the inner bark is an astringent and can be used to treat wounds. The outer bark has antibacterial properties and when used as a container for food and water, it is believed to inhibit the growth of bacteria.

Black birch can be made into tea. This type of birch is also called the sweet birch (betula lenta). The young bark and twigs have the rich, mouthwatering aroma of sweet wintergreen. To make tea, shave off a few strips of the bark from a young branch or simply break up some twigs into small sticks. One tablespoon of material is enough for a cup of tea.

More Uses of Birch Bark

Birch Bark Water Filter

Here’s an interesting infographic from Wild Wood Survival illustrating how to make a water filter using a roll of birch bark and other materials including charcoal, grass and sand. Note however that this is strictly for emergency use only. It can’t filter out all bacteria, viruses and chemicals.

Birch Bark Tinder

Birch bark is more like kindling than tinder because it really burns well once it is lit. The bark has oils that can sustain the flames even when the bark is moist. To start a fire with birch bark, collect the dead, papery parts that have separated from the tree. There is no need to strip live material from the trunk because the dry dead bark will work just great.

The following short video demonstrates how to make a fire using birch bark and a fire steel.

Birch Bark Containers

Different kinds of containers can be made from birch and the finished products are durable, waterproof as well as rot resistant.

Here’s a vid showing how to make a primitive birch bark bowl…

Birch Bark Shoes

There is always a possibility that you will lose one or both footwear when in the wild. If this ever happens to you, knowing how to fashion a shoe from natural and readily available material will ensure your feet stay protected. Since we are in the subject of birch barks, here’s a tutorial from Wild Woods Survival on how to make birch bark shoes.

Got any other ideas on how to use birch bark in a survival/emergency scenario? Post them in the comments.