When I started transplanting plants from the path of this future highway I brought along a young friend who found the deer trails, hills, plants and fallen tree archways to be magical. He called it the entrance to the magic kingdom. We talked about the future of this place and he volunteered to come with me to make a presentation to the department of highways, to suggest that the highway be built in the existing throughway, with no space between the double lanes. If it were built this way, most of the forest would remain intact.

We have taken many pictures and spoken to many people. But money speaks louder than a child in this society. Money speaks louder than the forest and millions of monies have been spent on the current plan. So, we carry on and dig out plants to give them a new home. Hoping that in doing this, people will be reminded of the riches that line our hearts and imaginations rather than our pockets.

The loggers have now come through the magic kingdom, and I really don't want my young friend to have to see it. It is good that the wood is being harvested if there are no alternatives, but what a mess. The moist, mossy wood is now littered with branches and has become dry. At first glance I was really upset, thinking that all the old growth forest species that I had wanted to salvage were gone. Thankfully, nature is not that weak, and as I explored I found the coltsfoot, wintergreen, dewberries, sarsasparilla, and bunchberries that I thought were gone, growing up between fallen trees and branches, reaching for the light, holding the earth together with their root systems.

If you live in Saskatchewan are interested in Adopting an Ecosystem contact Adopt_an_Ecosystem@yahoo.ca or call Elizabeth at (306)-380-5584.

A Day at Work

At Seedy Saturday I had the fortune of meeting a young plant enthusiast who immediately put his name down for volunteering with the plant rescue project. I called him on a Tuesday and by Thursday at 8:30am he was ready for a day of challenging work and unknown surprises.

We picked up a hitch hiker on the way and shared stories of tree planting, bears and strange encounters in the norther regions of Saskatchewan. We were much relieved when we made it to our work spot and began identifying plants.

The goal of this days work was to establish a native plant garden at the Metis Heartland Forest Centre with John Hanikenne and arrive back in Saskatoon with a truck load for the adoption program. After loading the truck with saskatoons, bearberry, sage, rockcress, bergamont, pin cherries, choke cherries, honeysuckles, strawberries, violets, locoweed, lilies, yarrow, and peavines, we sat in the shade for a hearty lunch and good conversation.

John is an inspiration. After a back injury and 6 years in a wheel chair, he is now not only walking, but lifting and shoveling for hour upon hour. He kept up with Jordan and I relatively easily.

When we arrived at the Centre, John took us for a hike around some of the trails. There is something very special about this forest. I had never seen or felt anything quite like it. Close to the lodge there is a large stand of mature Red Pine. They provide a canopy that is easily twice the height of our native Jack Pines. The Red Pine is not indigenous to the area, but it is growing very well.

The trails extend for miles, with many of the same plants that we transplanted near the buildings. The purpose of transplanting more is for ease of access. Many of the people who have knowledge of the plants and their uses are elderly, to have a variety of plants close by will help them to teach the groups that come to learn; Suntep, Siast, and others.

The soil by the centre was compact and sandy, so we decided a raised bed garden would work best. We pieced together our clumps of ecosystem salvaged and used soil from the well that John started digging to fill in the gaps. In the process we learnt how to witch for water with a chainsaw blade and a coat hanger...good times!

We were hosted for supper in Prince Albert, good Saskatchewan Burbot that my pops makes up real nice. After a good but brief visit we head out again to the forest and dig until we can no longer see the plants beneath our feet. By 11 pm we are back in the city, with dirt under our nails, philosophy spoken and acted upon, and sleep not far off.

Thanks John and Jordan for an excellent and magical day.

The city yard, no matter how small, can host a variety of plants, both those that provide food, medicines, beauty, and local diversity. To aid in the maintenance of Biodiversity overall.

This was my first of now many successful attempts to transplant the beautiful ground cover and medicine, commonly known as Bear Berry.

Star-flowered false Solomon's Seal above, and Alum root.

Transplant pictures

First picture, Selaginella, second picture anemone and meadow rue transplanted to my front yard under the spruce trees last year.

I Will Survive

On a telephone conversation this morning I was reminded that people, myself included, tend to believe what we hear without questioning until we experience the antithesis of what we originally held to be truth.

The comment was simply about how crocus' are prairie plants and do not grow in the forest because the prairie is their home. I apologize to my friend if he reads this, but I have to respond here as I did in our conversation, that I have seen with my eyes and felt with my hands that many crocus' live and thrive in the forest. He retracted by saying that he does not know the forest well.

All plants will take on the challenge of survival wherever they are given the chance. The plants that I will be moving this year are from an area of mixed Prairie, Aspen Parkland, and Boreal Transition. This means that there are many plants adapted to many different micro-climates and soil conditions. They live in an area that is becoming a double lane highway in the Nesbit Forest, Saskatchewan. In my experience, these plants will succeed at surviving and thriving if given the chance.

I would like to move as many as possible. I would like people to pay me what they can or trade, I don't want to turn anyone away because of money. With that said, if you can pay, the project can move more plants.

Ecological Sa(l)vage

Savage:
Not domesticated or cultivated; wild. Not civilized; barbaric. Ferocious; fierce. Vicious or merciless; brutal. Lacking polish or manners; rude.

To assault ferociously.

To attack without restraint or pity.

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[Middle English sauvage, from Old French, from Late Latin salvticus, from Latin silvticus, of the woods, wild, from silva, forest.]

Salvage:
The rescue of a ship, its crew, or its cargo from fire or shipwreck. Compensation given to those who voluntarily aid in such a rescue. The act of saving imperiled property from loss.

Something saved from destruction or waste and put to further use. To save from loss or destruction. To save (discarded or damaged material) for further use.

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[Obsolete French, from Old French salvaige, right of salvage, from Late Latin salvre, from Latin salvus, safe; see sol- in Indo-European roots.]

http://www.thefreedictionary.com

Ecological Consciousness is growing. Most of us now understand, after having forgotten for a long time, that we are part of nature and that whatever happens to the ecosystems we depend upon will eventually have a similar impact upon us. This awareness is creating a sense of altruism that goes beyond humanity, an altruism that encompasses the species with whom we've evolved.

2010 marks the United Nations year in the recognition of the value of Biodiversity, and the need for this recognition in the alleviation of poverty worldwide. http://www.cbd.int/2010/welcome/
I thought this would be a good time to go public with a hobby of mine and start a business/project out of salvaging plants from native ecosystems that are being 'developed' into areas where they will be nurtured; gardens, farms, rooftops...

The business is called "Living Planet Ecological Sales and Consulting." What the name doesn't say is that I do this work because I love it, it makes me feel happy. I want to share the hope and happiness that this work brings.

If you are interested in adopting plants please email: Adopt_an_Ecosystem@yahoo.ca

I will post my adventure stories, photos and species lists for 2010.