Cultural Characteristics

This forest is very important culturally to the campus of UBC-Okanagan and the surrounding environment. It provides an important ecosystem for many species, especially the Ponderosa Pine and it provides and has provided in the past a lot of importance to human beings. The Ponderosa Pine has a specific and special niche in the Okanagan Valley landscape. It provides habitat areas for many species such as "deer, elk and bighorn sheep," (Coupe, 34). The trees physical attributes, like the seeds and cones, are also important to many species in the area, especially to birds and animals. It has also always been important to human beings. As I ventured up to a patch of the pine forest at UBC-O, I noticed quite the array of other people also enjoying their time up there. There is a dirt road cutting in the middle of the forest leading straight down to the University. Because of this, I think, a lot of students find it accessible and find it as a natural part of the campus. Many students go jogging, running or walking through the forest on breaks to get away from the busy student filled campus. The most prominent factor that has always remained of importance in this and similar forests, is fire. Fire has always dominated the landscape, shaping the forests to how they are today. This is a fire maintained ecosystem, one of which depends on fire to cleanse the forest. This is evident all throughout the woods behind UBC-O. If you take a walk up the mountain, you will find many fire scarred stumps shaped like mushrooms. The forest is also quite open because of fire plucking away trees, disallowing a dense woods. "Tree rings," As told by Don Gayton in Okanagan Odyssey "were like history books, with events recorded in charcoal rather than print" (Gayton, 130). These rings provided information about past climates and activities and are sprawled about this forest. During times of drought, mostly in the summer time, these forests are very heavily populated by humans. Fire suppression is extremely evident in these environments to control fire and reduce destruction, even know fire is a helping factor. During wetter times, like the winter, the forests are almost bare with little to no human activity. These Ponderosa Pine forests are meant to be open, bare and very bright. Because of human activity, mostly fire suppression, these forests are beginning to become very dense.

 

The trees are increasing in population and growing closer together, making the environment darker and more shaded. This is posing problems for underlying species in this ecosystem. The species on the forest floor are not able to live as well as they used to because there is an increasing competition for sunlight. Because of increased canopy and forest density these, "woody invasions into grassland [like] habitats have altered ecosystem characteristics across North America, and affected the bird assemblages that inhabit them" (Krannitz, 655). Also, because of the increased population of Ponderosa Pine trees, more pine needle cast is littering the forest floor. This is changing the acidity of the soil and resulting in a changing environment. Because humans do not understand the repercussions of their actions, the forest is beginning to rapidly change.
 

 

(Photo above displays the large Pine needle cast and density of the forest)

The species of this forest provided a lot of importance to interior native peoples in the past. These people used the plants of this area as a part of their necessary lifestyle. The "Nlaka'pmx, Okanagan, Secwepemc and Ktunaxa collected and ate the cambium from young trees" and provided a lot of cultural important to these pines. These people depended on these forests for survival through their used of food, wood and shelter. The Saskatoon berries provided food for animals and many native peoples. The natives used these berries as a "common trading item" (Coupe, 55). The Wolf Lichen, which grows on a lot of the trees and wood debris in this forest in the past were used by natives as a "yellowish-green dye to colour fur, moccasins, feathers, wood and other articles" (Coupe, 435). A lot of the grasses of this forest were used to make equipment, clothing and to make articles like "soapberry beaters" (Coupe, 321). One interesting species in this forest is the Redtop grass which was actually brought in by Europeans. This is an exceptional example again for how humans have altered this landscape.

Another prominent human driven factor in this forest is deforestation. The UBC-Okanagan campus is built right up against the forests and is and has been cutting away trees, making way for new development. Also, Quail Ridge residential development is beginning to scrape away the native Pine forest. The ever advancing human population in the future will continue to deforest this area, until there is nothing left. Also, the expanding University could soon wipe out this forest. This is a huge issue which people need to take notice of and think if more human development is worth ridding a natural forest that has been alive for centuries.

The UBC-Okanagan Pine forest lands provide a natural haven for UBC-O students. It provides the opportunity to take an efficient escape from the stressful life of University. The forest environment promotes healthy exercise and relaxation for students. For the most part, this forest seems to hold a greater significance to various animals and plant species. The forest almost goes unnoticed to many students of the University, which is quite a contrast to the way humans used to view these forests. It almost too acts as a barrier for the University, a wall of sorts. That is one of the main problems, that people don't hold enough value for these types of spaces. People believe that the forests do not directly benefit them, so it isn't as much an issue if its torn down. The University, for example, is a place humans have built. It took time, money and a lot of effort, so we as a campus respect it and hold value to it. The forest, on the other hand, was just there. We see it as an opportunity for more development rather than a community.

An important project I found at UBC-O is dealing with this perfectly. It was the initiative to provide a campus trail system throughout the Pine Forest, and other areas to increase student involvement in the natural environment. The trails make it easier for students to venture in the Universities' green spaces and environments. They also encourage better health and exercise. UBC-Okanagan has strong beliefs and they "strong believe in fostering positive relationships amongst our internal and external communities, and [they] know great things can happen when people have the opportunity to come together in healthy ways" (Jacob, 1). This project shows the importance of these forested spaces corresponding with students' wellbeing. This is a very strong solution to producing a higher value to these natural spaces and bringing us back to our native roots, having respect for nature.

(New Trails System at UBC Okanagan. 2009. University of British Columbia, Kelowna.)

(The photo above displays the areas where UBC-O trail systems will be applied)

To conclude this section I would like to pose more solutions to this problem. University students, and the surrounding City of Kelowna need to realize the importance of natural environments like this. It is essential that education is put forth to teach the value this forest has in its own community and the Okanagan valley. Forests are the lungs of Earth, they keep the air clean and clear of toxins. We need forests to survive. Forests also hold habitat and create an ecosystem for many species of plants and animals. Without forests, they lose their habitats and go extinct. This forests also holds the hill behind UBC-O together. Without it, the soil would be subjected to a lot of natural weathering factors, causing many issues for the University. Vegetation is what keeps the land intact and secure. Another issue that needs to be taught it the affects of fire suppression. Fire suppression increases the density of this forest which is supposed to be open and sunlit. More trees will grow, adding to the wood mass of the forest. This means a loss of sunlight to bottom dwelling organisms and catastrophic fires in the future. In dry seasons, there will now be even more wood attract fire. This will pose serious dangers for UBC-Okanagan in the future.