Sacred Trees of Alberta, Part 2

Last month, I began a list of “sacred” or iconic trees of Alberta, gleaned from Alberta Trees of Renown: An Honour Roll of Alberta Trees. (I just noticed this book came from my mentor, Kate’s collection.)   I’ve also been using Google Earth to locate some of the trees on Calgary’s "heritage" list, though many are just distinguished neighbourhood trees.  There may be an eventual Part 3, but for now, here’s Part 2:

 

8.     Lord’s Willow, a bay-leaf willow, planted about 1906 at the home of W.E. Lord, a Red Deer merchant.  The house has been replaced with the Willow Estates apartments (52°16'26.52"N, 113°48'18.89"W), but the tree is reportedly well-loved by locals.

9.     Spirit Island Trees:  Spirit Island on Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park http://ow.ly/hJyb30a3Axb is iconically Canadian, and the Engelmann Spruce and Lodgepole Pine trees on it seem to act as a focal point for the mountain vista beyond them. Additionally, a large lodgepole at the head of the island seems to be a “survival” tree, with the original trunk pushed over, and a newer, thicker tree arising from one of the branches.

10. Son-of-Tree-In-The-Road:  In 1947, back when National Parks meant something, the builders of the then-TransCanada Highway (now Bow Valley Parkway to Johnson’s Canyon) split the road to go around a large White Spruce.  The original tree was felled by a storm in 1984, but descendants of this tree carry on the role.  51°13'7.36"N, 115°46'25.44"W.

11.  Survival Tree, Cypress Hills:  A point of interest in Cypress Hills Provincial Park, this Lodgepole Pine fell over years ago, and the upper branches served as separate trunks off the former main stem. 49°36'48.61"N, 110° 4'44.71"W.

12.  Medicine Tree, Spruce Grove:  Another sprawling Manitoba Maple, Forestry indicated this was 29 meters long and 9.2 meters high in 1986.  Location is unclear; geocaching.ca mentions a “Medicine Tree” cache at 53° 38.936 N, 113° 51.660 W, but this may be a Diamond Willow.

13. The Sun Tree:  This 19-metre Balsam Poplar was the centre of the Indian Village at the Calgary Stampede between 1908 and 1975, just outside what is now the entrance of BMO Centre. When the site of the Indian Village was moved in 1975, the Samaritan Club of Calgary constructed Suntree Park as a Centennial project, adjacent to the now-Coca Cola Stage. Sadly, the tree is now gone, its site now a planter for other trees.

14.  High River Medicine Tree:  This iconic Black Cottonwood, featured on the town logo, was originally two trees located on a ranch just west of High River.  A branch of one tree merged with the trunk of an adjacent one about 10 feet above ground, forming an “H”.  Sacred to the Blackfoot, it fell during a windstorm in 1958. Residents salvaged part of the tree and housed it at George Lane Memorial Park, where they also built a statue commemorating the tree. 50°34'42.78"N, 113°52'35.52"W. Part of the tree is reportedly in the Museum of the Highwood.

May Events:

Note these events are listed for information purposes only. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me. All times MDT.

May 1:  Beltane.

May 1, 11:00 am: First Annual Lethbridge Pagan Cultural Festival, at Galt Gardens (Stafford Drive Exit on Hwy 3).  https://www.facebook.com/LethPaganCulturalFest/

May 3, 10:33 am:  Mercury Retrograde ends.

May 4th:  Talk-Like-A-Jedi Day.

May 4:  Cinco de Cuatro, for fans of  “Arrested Development”.

May 5:  Cinco de Mayo.

May 5-7: CRLC Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Show at Vivo Centre, 11950 Country Village Link NE.  Info: http://www.crlc.ca

May 5-7:  Body, Soul, and Spirit Expo at Grey Eagle Event Centre. http://bodysoulspiritexpo.com

May 5-7, 12-14:  Servants Anonymous/Calgary Herald Book Sale at Crossroads Market.

May 6, 7:30 pm:  COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. http://www.cogcoa.ab.ca

May 7, 7:00 pm: Paranormal Pub Night at Kensington Pub, hosted by Ghost Hunt Alberta. Tickets through Eventbrite.

May 10, 3:42 pm:  Full (Flower) Moon.

May 12-14:  CBC/Calgary Reads Book Sale at Calgary Curling Club.

May 13:  Uath/Hawthorn Tree Month begins, according to Robert Graves.

May 13: World Fair Trade Day. “Human Chains for Fair Trade and the Planet”. http://wfto.com
May 13, 10:00 am:  Calgary New Age Craft Market at Hillhurst-Sunnyside Community Hall.

May 14:  Mother’s Day.

May 19-22:  Gaia Gathering, the Canadian National Pagan Conference, at Clarion Hotel and Conference Centre.  http://www.gaiagathering.com

May 20-21:  Paranormal Investigation at Twin Cities Hotel, Longview, hosted by Ghost Hunt Alberta.  Tickets through Eventbrite.

May 21, 2:00 pm:  Dances with Witches. Info: Calgary Pagan Network on Facebook.

May 22: Victoria Day.

May 25, 1:44 pm:  New Moon. Uath/Hawthorn Lunar Month begins.

May 27, 7:00 pm:  Heathen Meet and Greet. Info: Calgary Heathens on Facebook.

May 27, 7:00 pm:  Paranormal Investigation at East Coulee School Museum, hosted by Ghost Hunt Alberta. Tickets through Eventbrite.

Sacred Trees of Alberta, Part 1

Over a year ago, when I took a few days off in the Crowsnest Pass to mull about my career, life, and everything, I posted a photo of the Burmis Tree (49°33'21.51"N, 114°17'56.92"W), the iconic (but dead) limber pine at the east entrance to the Pass on Hwy. 3, calling it one of the “sacred trees of Alberta”.  This raised the question of what other trees are out there. Unlike my list of glacial erratics, trees are ultimately transitory things; they suffer damage and die. So in a couple of cases, these “heritage trees” are no more.  In 2008 the Heritage Tree Foundation of Canada published a list of 73 heritage tree locations within Calgary, mainly in the inner city.  This list includes groups of trees, e.g. the Memorial Drive poplars, and I hope to publish a select few as Part 3.  Exploring these might make a good summer project, but a list can be found on the last page at http://ow.ly/iu7J30afNVW 

I recently found my copy of Alberta Trees of Renown: An Honour Roll of Alberta Trees (Alberta Forestry Association, 1986), and here’s the first part of a list of some of the oldest or locally iconic trees in Alberta. Oldest first:

1.     Whirlpool Point Limber Pine (approx. 52°00'04" N, 116°28'15").  Located on the North Saskatchewan River off Hwy. 11 just west of Abraham Lake, the 1986 estimate had the age of this ancient tree as 1000 years. More recent estimates have it closer to 3000.  http://gigapan.com/gigapans/186145

2.     The oldest known Engelmann Spruce in Alberta, located near the Columbia Icefields, is estimated to have begun life in 1265, making it over 750 years old. Cold conditions, isolation from other forest stands, frequent rainshowers, and low incidence of lightning, have led to its longevity.

3.     The oldest Douglas Fir in Alberta, nearly 700 years old, is located atop the Hoodoos northeast of the TransCanada Highway just inside Banff National Park. It is one of a number of similar trees over 500 years old. http://ow.ly/zP9V30a3hgl

4.     The oldest Lodgepole Pine (if it’s still standing) began life near the Upper Kananaskis Lake after a fire in 1586, making it over 400 years old. The area has since been taken over by spruce, and Forestry reported in 1986 that this tree was barely hanging in. Even then, they described it as “a dead-looking snag”.

5.     The oldest Black Spruce, nearly 400 years old, is located in the Cache Percotte forest just south of Hinton. It’s located on a cool, wet, north-facing slope, with a high water table. Higher surrounding trees have also prevented its growth.

6.     Dunvegan Maple. Located behind the Catholic church in historic Dunvegan on the Peace River (approx. 55°55'24.37"N, 118°35'54.03"W) this tree (like other maples on this list) was brought to Alberta, here planted by James McDougall in 1883. The original trunk has long-since lain down on the ground, and newer trees are growing from it. http://gigapan.com/gigapans/88468

7.     Garneau’s Tree, a Manitoba maple planted in Edmonton in 1874 by Laurent and Eleanor Garneau, early settlers who had been part of the Riel Rebellion. Acknowledged with a plaque on the U. of A. Campus.  53°31'34.10"N, 113°31'4.65"W.

April Events:

Note these events are listed for information purposes only. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me. All times MDT.

Apr 1:  All Fools’ Day.

Apr 1, 7:00 pm:  Paranormal Investigation at Haunted Hotel, Bassano, hosted by Ghost Hunt Alberta. Tickets through Eventbrite.  https://www.facebook.com/ghosthuntalberta/

Apr 1, 7:30 pm:  COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. http://www.cogcoa.ab.ca

Apr 8, 10:00 am:  Calgary New Age Craft Market at Hillhurst-Sunnyside Community Hall.

Apr 9, 5:14 pm:  Mercury Retrograde (to May 3).

Apr 9, 7:00 pm:  Paranormal Pub Night at Cat ‘n Fiddle Pub, hosted by Ghost Hunt Alberta. Tickets through Eventbrite.

Apr 11, 12:08 am:  Full (Pink or Wind) Moon.

Apr 15:  Saille/Willow Tree Month begins, according to Robert Graves. (Four days after FULL Moon, showing the problem with this “lunar” system.)

Apr 16:  Easter Sunday.

Apr 16, 2:00 pm:  Dances with Witches. Info: Calgary Pagan Network on Facebook.

Apr 22:  Earth Day.

Apr 22, 8:00 am:  Alberta Wilderness Association “Climb for Wilderness” at the Bow Building. http://www.climbforwilderness.ca

Apr 22:  Green Calgary Composter and Rain Barrel Sales begin (to June 24).  http://www.greencalgary.org

Apr 23, 6:00 pm:  Ghost Hunting 101 at The Bank and Baron Pub, hosted by Calgary and Banff Ghost Tours.  Tickets through Ticketor.

Apr 26, 6:16 am:  New Moon. Saille/Willow Lunar Month begins.

Apr 27-30:  Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo. http://calgaryexpo.com

Apr 29, 12:00 pm:  The Original Red Deer Witches Market, at Witches Ink. http://www.witchesink.ca/

Apr 29, 7:00 pm:  Heathen Meet and Greet. Info: Calgary Heathens on Facebook.

May 1:  Beltane.

May 1, 11:00 am: First Annual Lethbridge Pagan Cultural Festival, at Galt Gardens (Stafford Drive Exit on Hwy 3).  https://www.facebook.com/LethPaganCulturalFest/

March, 2017

March Events:

Note these events are listed for information purposes only. *Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me. All times Mountain.

Mar 4, 7:30 pm:  COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. http://www.cogcoa.ab.ca

Mar 8:  International Women’s Day:  “Be Bold for Change”.

Mar 11, 10:00 am:  Calgary New Age Craft Market at Hillhurst-Sunnyside Community Hall.

Mar 11, 7:30 pm sharp.  COGCOA Ostara Ritual.*

Mar 12. 2:00 am:  Daylight Savings Time begins. Spring ahead!

Mar 12, 8:54 am:  Full (Worm or Storm) Moon.

Mar 12, 7:00 pm:  Paranormal Pub Night at the Bank and Baron, sponsored by Ghost Hunt Alberta. Tickets through Eventbrite.  https://www.facebook.com/ghosthuntalberta/

Mar 15:  Gaia Gathering – Canadian National Pagan Conference Early Bird sales end. http://ow.ly/5L3V308Owiy

Mar 17:  St. Patrick’s Day.

Mar 18:  Fearn/Alder Tree Month begins, according to Robert Graves.

Mar 18, 7:00 pm:  East Coulee School Museum Paranormal Investigation, sponsored by Ghost Hunt Alberta.

Mar 19:  Dances with Witches. Info: Calgary Pagan Network on Facebook.

Mar 20, 4:29 am:  Vernal Equinox.

Mar 23-26:  Rock-A-Palooza Gem & Mineral Show at Spruce Meadows, sponsored by Silver Cove.

Mar 24, 7:00 pm:  Paranormal Pub Night at the James Joyce, sponsored by Ghost Hunt Alberta. Tickets through Eventbrite.

Mar 25, 8:30 pm:  Earth Hour 2017.  https://www.earthhour.org/

Mar 26, 7:00 pm:  Heathen Meet and Greet. Info: Calgary Heathens on Facebook.

Mar 26, 7:00 pm: Paranormal Pub Night at Dickens Pub, sponsored by Ghost Hunt Alberta. Tickets through Eventbrite.

Mar 27, 8:57 pm:  New Moon. Fearn/Alder Lunar Month begins.

Mar 31:  International Transgender Day of Visibility.