The serene Sunshine Coast will soon become home to BC’s first Indigenous Healing Forest, where both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people can come together to heal, reflect and meditate.
It’s part of a nationwide initiative to create a space to honour residential school victims, survivors, and their families.
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The quaint Gibsons has recently committed to establishing a Healing Forest nestled in White Tower Park and the Charman Creek ravine.
The National Healing Forest initiative envisions creating a network of forests and green spaces across Canada, with the same goal of reconciliation in mind.
While Healing Forests already exist in six provinces, the one in Gibsons will be the first in BC.
“In August 2020, staff presented a proposal for establishing a Healing Forest within Town boundaries to a representative for the Skwxwu7mesh Uxwumixw (Squamish Nation),” reads a statement on the Town of Gibsons website.
The next step is to bring the proposal to the Nation’s Council Committee for further discussion.
“In the third quarter of 2021, archaeologically significant Indigenous material was discovered during the expansion of the White Tower stormwater retention ponds. Staff are exploring options for the Healing Forest in light of this discovery.”
BC’s First Indigenous Healing Forest
When: TBD
Where: Gibsons, on the Sunshine Coast
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