Goldstream Fieldtrip Recap

It was a little (alot!) wet and foggy, but we had a great time at Goldstream Park on Wednesday. I will be posting pictures that I took on the blog on Monday or Tuesday - I'm having a little trouble uploading them, but they're coming (I was at least successful getting one of the waterfall pictures posted!). In the meantime, I would like to thank Mark Albany, our First Nations Counselor at Lansdowne, and Jim Young, from the Native Friendship Centre, for sharing their vast knowledge of their 4000 year old culture, including the forest as a means of medicine, food, shelter,clothing, and community, being SO prepared and organized, and teaching us how to make and roast bannock over an open campfire - which we also appreciated for warmth. Thank you for the hot chocolate too Mr. Albany! Also a big thank you to Mr. Young, Mr. Albany, and Asma (Kele's Mom) for driving us out to Goldstream.
On Thursday, you each shared with each other three things you learned from Mr. Albany or Mr. Young that you didn't know before. I've listed many of them below - share with your family!
I LEARNED:
- the time on your watch does nothing in the forest, it matters on the weather and the light of day
- about natural medicine
- that some leaves are used for medicine
- how the First Nations made tools (with shale - we made a spear!)
- how First Nations got bark off trees (for clothes and shelter)
- bar was usually peeled uphill
- that you can eat pine needles
- that vanilla leaves were used to repel bugs
- moss was used for diapers and beds because the absorb moisture
- if you rub natural licorice fern on your tongue (we did!), it will help you when you're sick
- 1 plant seed can spread miles around from birds
- how to make and cook bannock on a fire
- that bannock is yummy
- that bannock is bread, not fish
- that kids could be sent out to get natural medicine for as long as a week
- why some trees have holes on the side (because of stripping bark off)
- moss usually only grows on the north side of a tree so it can help you tell direction
-if you dump oil at the top of the waterfall it will seep into the ground and the streams and ground around it and the plants, will die
that the waterfall goes underground and appears in the river
-some of the trees at Goldstream are over 300 years old
- that the fish help the rees and plants grow because animals that eat the fish leave the remains on the banks and it provides nutrients
- that climbing so many stairs and going uphill is really tiring!
- how the First Nations captured bears
- forest fires can be good because they burn all the tall trees that cover the forest so new plants and berries can grow
- Saanich First Nations are allowed to fish in the river but no one else is
Good job students, for remembering so much valuable information. You were all very respectful of nature...and by the way, do you remember seeing the red tailed hawk and the bald eagle?!?