"From Cajun lore to possum tales, Doug adds a special touch to any festivity. His storytelling delights people of all ages." --Barbara Freeman and Connie Regan-Blake
"Doug is a heartwarming lyricist with a deep interest in the natural environment and people's relation to it. Believe me. this teller has a story of interest for any and everyone." --Wake Audubon Newsletter, National Audubon Society
Wild Roots "…refreshes the spirit like a hot cup of sassafras tea." --Cincinnati Enquirer
Woodslore "…full of woods sense, common sense and humor." --Katuah Journal
"Thoreau would have enjoyed Wildwoods Wisdom." --Book Page
"He's been called an herbalist, ranger, humorist, folk doctor and myth maker, but none of these titles does justice to the astounding energy and knowledge that Doug Elliott brings to the people who hear his stories and who enter the woods with him as their fearless and faithful guide. A workshop with Ranger Doug is a journey into a plethora of subjects and experiences (related to the natural world): identifying and gathering, edible wild plants, mushrooms and medicinal herbs, learning basketry and bird calls; tracking animals and swamp tromping…" --Omega Institute for Holistic Studies
"Doug Elliott was one of the most engaging storytellers at the National Storytelling Festival. He has a fine ear for dialects encountered on his travels, and has collected delightful stories from around the country. His travel anecdotes and woods lore make the outdoor world come alive for his listeners." --Brad Jolly, National Storytelling Resource Center |
Doug Elliott has performed and presented programs at festivals, museums, botanical gardens, nature centers and schools from Canada to the Caribbean. He has been a featured storyteller at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough TN. He has lectured and performed at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto and conducted workshops for the Smithsonian Institution. He has led ranger training sessions for the National Park Service and guided people in the wilderness from down-east Maine to the Florida Everglades.
He was named harmonica champion at Fiddler's Grove Festival in Union Grove NC. He is the author of four books, many articles in regional and national magazines and has recorded a number of award-winning albums of stories and songs.
Elliott's passion for the natural world developed in early childhood roaming the woods and waters around his home. His dad used to say, "That boy knows what's under every rock between here and town.”
He still roams the woods today. He has traveled from the Canadian North to the Central American jungles studying plant and animal life and seeking out the traditional wisdom of people with intimate connections to the natural world. And he still looks under rocks. These days he uncovers more than just a few strange critters; he brings to light the human connection to this vibrant world of which we are a part.