Prairie Gardens National Healing Forest Tree Walk

Description de l’événement

Tree Canada is excited to celebrate National Tree Day (NTD), presented by BMO. This is the biggest NTD celebration yet, with tree events taking place across the country on both the Wednesday and Saturday of National Forest Week.

Join us in Sturgeon County, Alberta to go on a Nature Walk on Wednesday September 25th and Saturday September 28 from 11am – 5pm, amongst the Rooted Nation, in our forest – the “Payhonin Healing Forest”. Enjoy the trees in your community and take a relaxing 30 minute stroll through the forest. Connect with nature, the land and the trees as you enjoy the fall in scenic Sturgeon County. This event is completely FREE! The Location is 23414 TWP 564 in Sturgeon County- just 25 min north of Edmonton near Bon Accord, AB.

Featuring an old-growth natural parkland boreal forest, in it’s golden autumn glory, this is the perfect opportunity to see the natural forest area that has been declared a national conservation project on a private land farm. The wandering trail takes you through groves of Aspen and Balsam Poplar, with an abundance of interesting understory – laden with wild fruit plants – from wild raspberry to native cranberry and hazelnuts growing in this lovely 25 acre forest. There is even a wild apple growing alongside the path.

Its a refuge for diversity and wildlife – you’ll see the signs of deer, moose, coyote, fox and, high above in the canopy, homes for hundreds of wild birds, from hawks to eagles to sparrows and wood peckers. Located under the migratory path for sandhill cranes, artic swan and snow geese – look up if you hear them! Its the time of year for the great migration, and flocks of thousands of birds are on the move from Alberta to Nebraska and beyond.

More information is available here: https://davidsuzuki.org/press/new-healing-forests-provide-safe-spaces-for-healing-reconciliation-and-community-building/

The National Healing Forests Initiative (nationalhealingforests.com) aims to create a network of forests and green spaces across Canada where Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples can come together in the spirit of reconciliation to heal, reflect, meditate, talk, share and build respect and understanding as a result of the residential school legacy and the findings of the National Truth and Reconciliation report.

There will be an opportunity to plant some tree seedlings along the swale at 2pm both dates. Please come prepared for an outdoor experience, dress for the weather, and wear appropriate footwear for wild and farm terrain.

The farm gate is open at the Prairie Gardens u-pick garden site. You’ll see the sign! Just follow the path across the field to the information booth that you come to beside the potato patch. Park at this location. There will be guides and a hayride to take you to the forest site. Please stay on the trails! Bring nothing but cameras, take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints! U-pick vegetables, pumpkins, farm to fork lunch and farm fun is available at Prairie Gardens, 1 km south of the site on Lily Lake Road.