The Learning Community Forms

The Redfish community is forming. We did all kinds of introductions yesterday, including the unpacking of each of our bioregional backpacks. We each shared highlights from the places we live - such as where our food and water comes from, the native species of our region, what historical struggles have occurred, some of the key environmental and social challenges and what people are doing about them. We learned about students' ideas for their community action projects, and what gives us each personal ecological sustenance.

Today we are diving into this region. We are about to embark on a walk with a local plant expert to learn about the wild and medicinal plants of this region in the Kootenays. Tonight we will explore the issues within the Columbia Basin with a guest from the Columbia Basin Trust.

And, the course work begins. With an intro to our ES380 course we are thinking about the food we eat and coming up with critical questions about what messages the environmental movement sends regarding food systems and security.

The adventure begins and the journey unfolds!

Redfish 2011 begins...

We are all gathering at the Little Slocan Lodge this evening... to begin the Redfish 2011 journey! Follow us here.

Sidney Island!

We recently ended a four day camping trip on Sidney Island in the hot, blazing, glorious sunshine. Boating over on Friday we were able to explore our surroundings, set up our traveling home and discover the beautiful, white-sand beach where we would be spending the majority of our time.
On Saturday we were lucky enough to have Phil and Marilyn, two Victoria-based marine biologists help us conduct a beach seine. Everyone had a blast (especially Dane who was clearly in his element) and learned all kinds of funky facts on the creatures we would be swimming with that afternoon!
Sunday's highlight was an introduction to Adventure Therapy with Duncan and Dave from Power to Be in Victoria. All new to me! On Sunday evening all 16 of us looked to our internal compasses and spread out over the island for a 14 hour overnight solo. I know I don't only speak for myself when I say there is something very powerful about being by yourself, in the woods, with only a tarp and watching the hours pass by.
Only one week left now! Oh how time flies!

Transitions: Blog post from June 2nd to June 8th

It seems as though the theme for the last week has been changing landscapes, both internal and external. Over the last week we have left the semi-wilderness environment of the upper Fraser River, and have made our way through the urban landscape of Vancouver to wind up at the University of Victoria. The shift we have experienced has been shaped by the change in our environments as well as the change in our group dynamic. Externally it is much noisier, busier, and in the city landscape many of us have found it harder to be calm and present. Also, for the first time our tightly knit group has been more independent as we work to finish off individual projects and sleep in private bedrooms.

Some of our recent highlights include arriving triumphantly at Jericho Beach, having successfully paddled from Hope to Vancouver in 6 days (some of it in torrential downpour)! Spirits were high as we all worked to drag our 36-foot Voyageur canoe from the water for the last time. Thanks to our fantastic guides, James and Dave, from Ridge Wilderness Adventures. Everyone took a much deserved shower, and looking sparkling clean, we enjoyed a celebratory dinner at the Jericho Hostel!

After enjoying our day off in Vancouver, we took the ferry to Victoria and settled into our new accommodations at UVic. In the course of a single morning we were able to meet and speak with two of the authors, Sally Miller and Nancy Turner, from our course Political Ecology of Food (ES 382). It was fantastic and allowed us to ask questions to the authors and truly engage with the material that we have been reading.

Overall, this past week has given us a chance to see how we change in the outdoors and has given us a thirst to learn even more outdoor skills. In addition, we were truly inspired by the passion that radiated from all our engaging guest speakers. As we come into our last week together, we are closer than ever as a group and we are starting to think about how to apply all that we have learned when we return to our own communities.

A lot has happened since leaving our home in Slocan and it's been interesting to lead a more nomadic lifestyle. The past two weeks we've spent time working on an organic farm, paddling down the Fraser river, and making our way across the Salish Sea to Vancouver Island.

Paddling the Fraser was definitely a highlight for me. I lived in relatively close proximity to the Fraser for five years and never really spent much time thinking about it. It was amazing to experience the change in landscape along the river as we slowly entered the city. It's easy to see it as a watershed devastated by development and industry when living in the city, it was nice to be reminded that it is still an amazing, functioning ecosystem. It was also satisfying to experience the huge cultural significance of the river to the people who depend on it.

Dane

Goodbye, Slocan Valley

So it's day 14 of the program and finally time to say goodbye to Little Slocan Lodge, our home away from home.

What an incredible time we have had here! Being nestled between the mountains has been nothing if not an inspirational way to build our community and start our Redfish journey together.

Thankfully, we had full license to go out with a bang because it was Neelam's birthday yesterday! Of course, we had an epic kitchen dance party until the wee ours of the morning, with some intermittent howling at the moon. We also had a really wonderful metaphors in music jam session last night. It was amazing to compare this session with our last one almost two weeks ago. We were SO much smoother. It seems that our whole group is just on the same page, we each know where we fit in to make some beautiful music.

A highlight of the past few days was the BBQ at Nadine's house in New Denver. We all got to practice our mingling skills, as well as our local-organic burger-flipping skills. Thankfully, we were successful at both! It was wonderful to be able to network with so many of the active citizens in this area; their dedication to their actions was pretty incredible to see.

Well, its time to head out. (if I keep typing we might miss the only bus out of Castlegar, and I don't know how happy everyone would be with that...) Blog posts may be very limited for the next while, because we are going internet free to the farm and then on the canoe trip!

See you down the river!

We're Baaaaaaaack

Last night, a bunch of smelly, satisfied Redfishers returned from a successful first camping trip. We spent three days hiking and learning in Valhalla Provincial Park. What an experience! We stayed at a site called Evan's Creek, which was actually a RAGING WATERFALL! The power of the falls will 'stick with' a lot of us, as will the cold fresh water which is pure enough to drink straight from the source. What an incredible connection with nature. Another thing many of us will remember is the campfire chat on personal ecology we had on our first night. We have officially compiled a list of reminders to email to ourselves regularly so we don't forget our own ecologies and how to maintain them in the midst of all the 'paction' we will be doing.
Other highlights included our first solo time, in which we were able to contemplate our connection with nature. Even a hale shower didn't dampen our spirits! We also 'got our grade six on' and played a game with Monica about ecosystem services. Some very creative presentations later emerged as to how services such as food production, genetic diversity, and water are necessary. Let's just say we have many a budding actor/rap star among us.
We were also able to chat with Craig from the Valhalla Wilderness Society. It was really inspiring for many of us to hear from someone who had put so much into preserving an ecosystem in the area he had helped protect. What an amazing success story.
And of course, finishing a long hike back to meet up with Brenda, Dane, and delicious treats is never a bad thing!

week One in the Sun

Hello Redfish Comrades!
We're finishing up week one here with Redfish and the time is flying by! All three classes are in full swing and we are loving every second. There is something so satisfying about lying on your belly, giggling in the sunshine while supposedly taking your 'ecology' class.
Today us students started cooking our own meals and t'was delectable (however Alan is greatly missed).
We also tried our hand at Zumba... I'll let you be the judge of our success by these photos!

To Nelson We Will Go!

It has been such a whirlwind week here at Little Slocan Lodge! Between unpacking our bio-regional backpacks, starting all of our classes, having a really cool jam session with Jeremy, and eating Alan and Ricardo's AMAZING food we have had our hands pretty full.

We also got to try our hand at consensus decision making with the help of our lovely facilitator, Ruth. After only two days and four hours, we have come up with the fundamental values of Redfish School 2010! They are (drumroll please): community, passionate action (otherwise called 'paction'), creativity, learning, respect, and kincentricity (a lovely concept describing the connection between all organisms and our need to live in mutually flourishing relationships). TA DAAA.

We will now try to live these values for the next 6 weeks, starting today with our first field trip! We are headed to Nelson where we will do our first big grocery shop. Hopefully we pull it off, Ricardo and Alan have left us a lot to live up to...

We have arrived!

It has only been a few days since we began the program but already there seems to be a sense of comfort and familiarity developing within the group. The location is simply amazing and the Little Slocan Lodge has provided us with a wonderful home base from which to explore the area. Today we spent the afternoon learning about wild edible and medicinal plants with Shanoon, who's knowledge on the subject seemed to be almost limitless. We were also treated to a special dish for dinner...delicious nettles and coconut curry courtesy of Ricardo. This photo was taken at the very beginning of the program and I think it will be very interesting to compare it with a group shot near the end. Until then I can't wait for our next set of adventures!

Dane

Return of the Redfish

The second semester of the Redfish School of Change begins May 12th. Instructors met in preparation for the arrival of 16 students from across Canada. Building on the success of the first field school, and incorporating feedback from alumni, participants, instructors and guests along the way can be exciting for the adventure ahead.

Here's our schedule. Follow us as we head into the field for the future!

May 11: Arrival at Little Slocan Lodge in West Kootenays
May 12– 25: Activities, workshops, field trips and wilderness adventure throughout the West Kootenays, based from the Little Slocan Lodge
May 25–28: Ecological restoration and service learning on organic farm in southern Okanagan
May 29–June 4: Voyageur canoe trip down Fraser River from Harrison to Vancouver with various stops and guests along the way
June 5–10: Activities, workshops and field trips based from University of Victoria
June 11–14: Marine trip to Gulf Islands National Park
June 15–19: Activities, workshops and field trips based from Pearson College
June 19: Program ends in Victoria, BC
After June 20: Students implement their action projects with follow-up support and mentorship

Toronto Community Action Project success!

Learn more about Elaine's action project as she recently delivered the Youth Engagement Program in Toronto.

See http://www.greenlearning.ca/node/361

The Imprint, the student newspaper of the University of Waterloo, featured a story about Redfish alumnus Elaine Ho and her experience with Redfish School of Change.

Check it out at http://imprint.uwaterloo.ca/2009/oct/23/features/ho-seeks-justice-wild/

What is the Redfish School of Change?

This video was created by Ryan, the Redfish School of Change Teaching Assistant

Talent Show Videos!

Sorry, I posted them all on my blog but here is the link
http://salimahsummer09.blogspot.com/2009/06/talent-show-videos.html

And here is the link to the Sally Sahore Redfish Love Song + Lyrics
http://salimahsummer09.blogspot.com/2009/06/sally-sahore-redfish-love-song.html

Still feeling that Redfish withdrawal...

Love,
Silly-mah

Singing to the Bunnies at the University of Victoria

Pictures and Videos

Here is a link to some pictures I've taken so far.
Sorry for all the scenery pictures!
http://cmd.shutterfly.com/commands/pictures/slideshow?site=salimah&page=salimah&album=151

Here are links to some of the music videos we made as well
Bearspray http://salimah.shutterfly.com/825
Stream Song http://salimah.shutterfly.com/826
Gratitude and Joy Got Me a Watch http://salimah.shutterfly.com/827
Water Privitization http://salimah.shutterfly.com/828

As you can see, I've been having a ton of fun!

-Salimah "Silly-mah"

Last Night at the Little Slocan Lodge

It's our last night at the Lodge. This place has provided us with so much and as exciting as it is to be heading to the river to start our paddle it is hard to leave.

The morning light on the front porch with a cup of coffee and the Colombian ground squirrels. The "classroom" which was also the living room and the dining room and the music/dance room and the yoga room and..........The kitchen always pumping out good food. The river that provided us with clean fresh water and an abundance of power (micro Hydro damn). The surrounding forest full of new friends and wild edibles. Bunk beds, guitars, swallows, and a burgeoning sense of belonging here.

The Learning has been one part the classroom book type and many parts this magical place, and the amazing people that live and love and work and play here.

I am full of gratitude for the opportunity to stay here for long enough to make friends with the place and I am truly looking forward to coming back here.

~Trina

Camping Trip!

Wild Foods Dinner

On our first full day off (Sunday, May 24), inspired by all of our newly-acquired ethno-botany knowledge, Trina, Sam, Lara and Alla decided to cook up a wildfoods/ locally-based dinner. In the morning, our guest Mike Keefer, an ethnobotanist, took us for a guided walk around Little Slocan Lodge, and we started gathering our foods. We found violets, fireweed tips and dandelion leaves for our salad, a few little morrels to fry up - and a giant patch of stinging nettle to steam for dinner. In addition, we roasted up a bunch of parsnips (from the local organic farm we visited earlier in the week) with carrots and potatoes, and fried up some local organic sausages.

(Alla, Lara and Trina serve up the wildfoods dinner)

End of Week 2

It's the end of Week 2 of the Redfish School of Change, and the last day of our stay at the beautiful Little Slocan Lodge.

The past week has been full of excitement, hard work, and new experiences. We started off the week with a workshop called "The Practice of Leading Change" with George Meier, a leadership coach in New Denver. Part of our course work includes developing a community action project, and George's workshop helped us gain some focus and do some planning for the future.

The next day, we headed down to the trailhead in Slocan City for the 8 km hike that launched our 3 day backpacking trip into Valhalla Provincial Park. On the hike, we had a chance to marvel at the incredibly diverse Interior Hemlock Forest, passing over several rockfalls, traversing beautiful sub-alpine meadows lush with spring wildflowers, and over gurgling mountain streams.
Camping at Evans Beach, we had the unique priviledge of being able to drink from an untainted stream and relax on the shore of Slocan Lake.

On Wednesday, we worked on a bioregional lab in the midst of the forest, learning how to work a compass and other field equipment. In the evening, special guests from Wildsight and The Land Conservancy gave us an insider's look at successful environmental initiatives in the West Kootenays, including designating the "Valhalla Mile" as a protected area.

Thursday was a long day of hiking back to the trailhead, and Friday and Saturday were focused on lectures and coursework. On Saturday afternoon, our group headed into Nelson for a guest panel of local community activists and change makers. The session, called "It Takes All Kinds" gave us a sense of the different kinds of approaches exist in trying to initiate positive environmental and social change.

~ Alla