1. Food Scaping Northwest Indian College
Paul Cline, Na’ta’ne Miles, Carol Wilson
Native Environmental Science Program, Department of Science, Northwest Indian College. Ane Berrett, Director of Services Learning, Science Social Faculty
Abstract
A food forest would support a botanically diverse environment, provide botanical revitalization, and deliver valuable insight about traditional land practices with a contemporary view of sustainability. The purpose of a food forestry is to revitalize the campus landscape with native vegetation, and further investigation will support the need for environmental change. Brief, logical analysis of data sources includes plans of action.
Results
The ecoAmbassador project was establishing a food forest garden on the Northwest Indian College Lummi campus. The food forest offers people a hands-on, making and tasting experience when they are at the garden. High maintenance and water restrictions are creating a change in gardening; native plants provide alternatives to turf grass (Pettinger, 1993).
The purpose of this internship was to create a food forest garden. The final outcome of the project provides seasonal and sustainable access of traditional plant foods to the NWIC community, and the surrounding Lummi community.
The complete Pacific lowland plant list was reduced to match ecological suitability of the garden site. The team consensus finalized a functional plant list (Figure 2)
The powers of these plants are their natural abilities to thrive and adapt on their own. With little maintenance needed to help them become establish after the first couple years they were first planted, they are virtually self-sustaining once they are fully established. A garden of this magnitude is ecologically appropriate and can be important to the climate change adaptation efforts.
Introduction
The currant land scaping on the Northwest Indian College (NWIC) Lummi campus is botanically depauperate, lacking the culture attributes of native Plants. As of now, the campus landscape is composed almost exclusively of introduced grass lawn. (Figure.1) While grass may be easily to maintain and appeal to colonial aesthetic, it serves neither the educational mission of NWIC nor native biodiversity.
The purpose of a food forest is to invigorate the campus community’s interaction with native vegetation. A food Forest would showcase botanically diversity and create opportunities to revitalize ethnobotanical practices such as harvest and stewardship while delivering valuable insight towards traditional land practices with a contemporary view of sustainability.
As Pettinger(1993) state, there are native plants that can solve any problems: dry soil, wet soil and shady areas. The food scaping project is focused on gardening using native food plants within the context of Pacific lowland forests of Western Washington. We refer to this method as a food forest in part because it is a forest of trees and shrubs that provide edible fruits and nuts. Food forestry is similar to permaculture, which involves the use of low-maintenance perennials to create a sustainable yield of useful food plants. A food forest requires little to no irrigation, no pesticides or herbicides, because the native plants are adapted to the local environment and rely on rainfall and are natural self-fertilizing. The food forest concept should prove to be environmentally friendly and helpful in the restoration of campus habitat.
Map 2. Food forest location.
Map 1. Lummi Nation, WA.
Figure 2. Food forest plant list.
Figure1. botanically depauperate landscape.
Discussion
Restoring a centralized place for tending and harvesting culturally important food plants will help revitalize traditional knowledge; for inexperienced foragers, there will be signs posted near plants, with a description of the cultural significance, motivating people to apply an indigenous land ethic on their own private lands.
Some plants have evolved symbiotic relationships with other plants or animals …. Our Native food plants have similarly prepared themselves to support our place on Earth. In return, we can pay attention to the needs of these food plants. ; only then will our foods be harmoniously bountiful.
Literature Cited
Pettinger, A., & Costanzo, B. (1993). Native Plants in the coastal garden: A guide for gardeners in British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest. North Vancouver, BC: Whitecap Books. Text
Pojar, J., MacKinnon, A., & Alaback, P. (1994). Washington, Oregon, British Columbia & Alaska. Redmond, Wa: Lone Pine Pub.
Methods
The project began in the Fall Quarter of 2014/2015 school year, with a clear focus on native nuts and berries. A team of students, NWIC faculty, and outside partners started round table discussions that were held weekly, which focused on planning tactics, locations, plant lists, and many other issues.
During the Fall Quarter, the priority topic was developing the most effective list of plants that would thrive in the Pacific lowland forest. Our list of plant species was finalized using secondary research.
Acknowledgements
I wish to thank NWIC faculty staff, Brian Compton, Lynda Jensen, Ane Berrett, and Nathanael Davis; NWIC Students that volunteered in the process.