ADAM OLSEN: SṈIDȻEȽ is an sacred place for the W̱SÁNEĆ people

Now in its 11th year, Creatures of Habitat has connected 1000’s of youth in Greater Victoria schools to the surrounding land and water. The streams, beaches and forests have Peninsula Streams to thank for organizing and delivering the education program powered by volunteers from the local community.

Originally, I was scheduled to be in committee meetings in Vancouver this week, but those meetings were cancelled. So I joined Ian Bruce and a group of grade 6 kids from Bayside Middle School at SṈIDȻEȽ (Tod Inlet) to terminate daphne. The ornamental shrub is available in garden centres but if it is left unattended it can aggressively take over natural spaces. Thankfully, daphne is easy to pull and students in the Brentwood area have been tearing it from the forest in Tod Inlet each year.

No better place to be!

Needless to say, I am happy to trade the florescent lights of a downtown Vancouver boardroom for the fresh air and spring sunshine of SṈIDȻEȽ. Students of years' past have done a great job! Nevertheless, every year patches of the forest floor are overtaken by the noxious weed.

As we navigated between the cedars and firs, Ian pointed out the oregon grape, salal, trillium and orchids which are all native plants to the area. We learned that daphne can flower and seed even in the shade of the forest floor. This makes it a formidable pest. Ivy is another menace lurking in the undergrowth. Unlike daphne, ivy needs sunlight and if ignored for long enough it will quickly climb the trees to the sun.

Protecting special places

SṈIDȻEȽ is an sacred place for the W̱SÁNEĆ people. As Tiffany Joseph shared with the students, SṈIDȻEȽ is the place the first man SȽEMEW̱ fell to earth in the rain and brought with him important teachings about our bathing ritual.

There is a lot of incredible work happening in the forest and on the beaches at SṈIDȻEȽ. 

From reconciliation, beach remediation and caring for the forest, there are many people to thank. In addition to Peninsula Streams, SeaChange Marine Conservation Society and PEPÁḴEṈ HÁUTW̱ have been powerful forces of change in SṈIDȻEȽ. 

I raise my hands in thankfulness to everyone who has volunteered in this vital work.