Healing Gardens

Mixed Forest C

Introduction and Theme attached at the bottom 

Longhouse Garden Site Description

Area Name: Mixed Forest C

Habitat Type(s) Represented: Mixed forest

Student Names: Michelle, Anastarr & Meg

Habitat Intro (potential signage?) 2/2007

Mixed Forest C is representative of a forest in transition. From the wet, moist soil of the lower forest floor to the drier, more elevated section and even a forest clearing, this site is truly a mixed forest of the Northwest. Deciduous trees are prevalent, resulting in a diverse understory. This forest is best classified as a temperate broadleaf and mixed forest of the Puget Lowland.

In the drier section, Goat’sbeard, Oregon Grape, Red-osier Dogwood, and *Oceanspray accompany a Big-leaf Maple abundant in moss. As you follow the forest towards the seasonal creek, there is a Western Red Cedar accompanied by Salal, Sword Fern, Lady Fern, Snowberry, *Trillium, and *Vanilla Leaf. Depending on the season, Coltsfoot pops up here and there and Horsetail pokes through, while Trailing Wild Blackberry can be found meandering year-round. There is a forest clearing with *Indian Plum, Bleeding Heart, Fringecup, and Nootka Rose, bordered by a patch of Salmonberry. The Red Alder at the apex of the trail speaks for the transition of the forest – can you imagine what other phases of life a forest like this has seen?

The Western Redcedar (Thuja plicata) is the central theme of this forest, acting as the heart of the site. It has been and is still referred to as ‘the tree of life’, which comes from the Kwakwaka’wakw. In this tribe, as well as others, it was used to make important cultural items such as dugout canoes, house planks and posts, totem and mortuary poles, bentwood boxes, baskets, clothing and hats, and a variety of tools and implements such as dishes, arrow shafts, harpoon shafts, spear poles, barbecue sticks, fish spreaders and hangers, dip-net hooks, fish clubs, masks, rattles, benches, cradles, coffins, herring rakes, canoe bailers, ceremonial drum logs, combs, fishing floats, berry-drying racks, fish weirs, spirit whistles, and paddles. It was also used to drill and hearth for starting friction fires, and was considered to be an excellent fuel, especially for drying fish, because it burns with little smoke. It is still held with the highest respect by all Northwest Coast peoples for its healing and spiritual powers. There is a Coast Salish myth that says the Great Spirit created the Red Cedar in honor of a man who was always helping others. “When he dies and where he is buried, a cedar tree will grow and be useful to the people – the roots for baskets, the bark for clothing, the wood for shelter” (Stewart 1984:27). We are all very grateful to be able to breathe, interact, and learn from this healing tree of life.

*=hoping to bring in

Revised map to follow

Site Description from Fall/2006

I. Overview

This site is a mixed forest with predominately broadleaf deciduous trees. There is a u-shaped trail that goes through the site and acts as a dividing line between this site and the Seasonal Shady Creek site. There is a large rock at the apex of the path. The higher elevated part of the site along the paved path edge has plants that are not found in the inner, forested part of the site, so the site has good variety.

II. Describing the Garden Site

1.

2. The shape represents a boot.
3. There is approximately 7 feet of elevation change within our site. The toe end of the boot is the highest point of the site, by the outer big rock. There is a steep hill down from this point to where the trail is. After the trail edge, the slope is more gradual to the lowest point of the site, by the inner big rock. In both directions the trail goes up a hill to meet up with the paved path.
4. The main slope of the site gains elevation in an eastern direction.
5. Currently we estimated that the majority of our site gets 3-4 hours of sunlight a day. This would change with the seasons, but direct sunlight is usually limited since there are both evergreen and deciduous trees which filter the sunlight reaching the site. The outer edges along the paved paths would get more sunlight since they are more exposed.
6. The soil is fairly rich, dark in color and moist. The slope of the site means it would have good drainage but because of the thick layer of fallen leaves, the soil is insulated and moisture is trapped, so the soil tends to stay very wet. Horsetail grows throughout certain areas of the site which indicates wet soil, as well.
7. There are a great deal of healthy, moderate sized ferns in the understory: sword fern and lady fern. There is one young Western Red Cedar with a diameter of 4". There is a fairly large Big-Leaf Maple with a diameter of 20". The rest of the trees are Red Alders (3-4) of varying age -- all young, but some with larger trunk diameters. Trailing blackberry prevails throughout the site in abundance.
8. The only animal activity observed so far is birds and earthworms.

III. Our Feelings About the Site

This site is already pretty well established but just needs some love to bring it back to its full potential.