WPCIB Nature Trail

Trail Description Disturbed; pasture

The trail leaves the forested area and opens up into another disturbed site. This area was used as a pasture for both horses and cows until 1999. You will see that most of the cover here is grass. Many of the species growing here are introduced, such as the red clover (Trifolium pratense) sweet white clover (Melilotus alba) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa). The underground river continues to run to the south of the path, and you will see another bog populated with cattail (Typha latifolia).

Common: Wild rose
Latin: Rosa spp. (woodsii, acicularis) Secwepemc: k'eple7llp / sek'wew

There are four species of rose that can be found in the area, but the prairie rose (R. woodsii) and the prickly rose (R. acicularis) are most common along the trail. All of the rose species were used traditionally. The rose hips ripen in late summer, but stay on the bush well into the fall and winter. They are very high in vitamin C. They can be eaten fresh but are bland, and care must be taken to not eat the inner seeds, or you will get "itchy bottom". The hips, leaves, branches and inner bark were all used to make tea. The bark and leaves were used to make a poultice, and could be also dried and smoked. The wood was used to make arrows.

Common: Cattail
Latin: Typha latifolia
Secwepemc: kwtellp

The stem and leaf bases were peeled and eaten in the early spring, like cucumber. The long, strong leaves of the cattail were a very important material for making mats, which would be used for such things as flooring, bedding, insulating homes, or drying berries on. The cattail "fluff" was used in the papoose as a diaper, and for dressing woods.