Native Plant Study Group

Our Next NPSG Event is Guest Speakers & Meeting

Thursday September 18th 2025 at 7:00pm

SPECIAL EVENT WALK AND TALK:

ÁLEṈ¸ENEȻ ȽTE XOĆES HELEṈIḴEN

Learning from the homeland at the lake of the tumbling waters

with SNEMIŦIYE Dominique James, WSÁNEĆ Steward and SENĆOŦEN language educator

with special guest Trentön Schulz-Franco of Special Bird Service

Dominique (she/her) and Trentön (they/he) will be providing a special walk and talk of native plants, birds, and ecosystems found at Swan Lake near the nature house. Dominique will be sharing some of the SENĆOŦEN (sen-chaw-then) names of the species, some cultural uses, and the importance of species and ecosystems from her WSÁNEĆ (whuh-say-netch) teachings.

Speaker Bio:

ÍY SȻÁĆEL HÁLE. ÍY ȻENS ENÁ TÁĆELṈONET SIÁM HÁLE. ĆOȻES SEN SE ṮEṮUṮE OL NE SḰÁL SENĆOŦEN SḰÁL ÁȽE. SNEMIŦIYE ŦE NE SNÁ ĆSE LÁ,E SEN EṮ W̱SÁNEĆ I ȽIW̱ I,ÍYMET NENIṈENE LOṮ ṈENE SXELIȾIYE OPEN IȻS DX̱EN SĆELÁṈEN I TEŦTÁŦESTEN LIW̱ SĆELÁṈEN I Kenneth ĆESE SĆELÁṈEN. ȻENTOL NE STOLES QUANTUM ĆSE LÁ,E E TŦE ÁLEṈENS SȾÁUTW̱. NE TÁN HÍELWET Karen Sampson ĆSE LÁ,E ET W̱JOȽEȽP I NE MÁN Darren James ĆSE LÁ,E EṮ BOḰEĆEN. ĆÁĆI OL SEN ȻENTOL NE XEUES SĆÁ E TIÁ SĆELÁṈEN ȻENTOL NE XEUES SĆÁLEĆES ET METULIYE H.A.T (Habitat Acquisition Trust) ÁȽE E ȽÁ,E W̱SÁNEĆ I LEKWUNGEN ĆÁĆI SX̱ENÁNS ET KȽO,ELENEȻ I SJISEṈs I TELETOŦELṈEW̱… DADÁSET SEN TŦE SḰÁL I OṈESTOW̱ TŦE SNÁ E TŦE SPÁKENS I ÍY SDÁLṈEW̱ E TŦE ŚIŚEJ MEQ EX̱IN E TŦE XAXE TEṈEW̱ I OṈEST TŦE SĆÁ ȻENTOL NE SĆÁLEĆEs.

Hello and Good Day Everyone,

My ancestral name is SNEMIŦIYE and I am from Saanich residing on Tsartlip, I am a mother of 3 beautiful children, my oldest is Kaiea, middle child Joshua Thaddeus and my youngest is Kenneth with my partner Joshua Wilson Sr who is from Tsawout. My Maternal side is Karen Sampson from Tsartlip and my Paternal side is Darren James from Pauquachin First Nation. Part of my knowledge is Language Revitalization education at the University of Victoria. I work at Habitat Acquisition Trust (HAT) and Satinflower Nurseries.

What I wish to share with you is the importance of plant knowledge on the lands of WSÁNEĆ, utilizing my SENĆOŦEN abilities and skills in specializing and giving the Indigenous perspectives with working on Garry oak, Cedar and Douglas-fir ecosystems within the Vancouver lower-island region.

In Person Location:

At the Swan Lake Nature House, 3873 Swan Lake Road -> Link to Map

Lekwungen and WSÁNEĆ Territories

Cost: Free event, but donations gratefully accepted to go towards the guest speaker! Everyone welcome, and no need to RSVP.

What to Expect:

A walk and talk for 60 minutes and then inside chatting and having tea and treats. Casual! Fun!

6:30-7:00 Volunteer set up inside and socialize (anyone welcome to help for 3 free raffle tickets!)
7:00-8:00 Introductions and Welcome inside then Walk & Talk
8:00-8:30 Chatting inside, Treats and Tea break
8:30-8:45 Famous Native Plant Raffle!!

Help with the setup or bring cookies to share for 3 free raffle tickets!

****Note: This talk may be recorded and broadcast on zoom, HOWEVER filming and recording an outdoor walk and talk is NEW for us – we will do our best and hope to share it with our members. To become a member, visit membership $25 for the year.

What to bring:

A mug for herbal tea or decaf coffee
A headlamp or flashlight
Some small change for cookies, tea, or raffle tickets
Drop-in donation (if possible), or $25 for your annual 2025 membership fee
Native plant or native seeds if you have extra for the plant raffle

Accessibility Notes:

The Nature House Building is on the ground/main floor and is wheelchair accessible up a concrete path with a slight incline. The walk will be on an uneven dirt path during sunset.

There are two accessible parking spots at the very end of Swan Lake Road here past the main parking lot, about 20 steps from the front door. The area is not well lit if after sunset – flashlight or additional light is recommended. Two washrooms are gender-neutral, single-stall, locking, and accessible inside the building. There is a HEPA filter air purifier we turn on during our meetings, masks are not required.

Territorial Acknowledgement:

The Native Plant Study Group respectfully acknowledges that we meet on the unceded territory of the W̱SÁNEĆ and Lekwungen Peoples. We are a garden group with a strong interest in gardening with native plants for their aesthetic, intrinsic, and conservation values. We gratefully recognize the longstanding stewards of these plants and ecosystems, as well as their cultural significance.

We encourage a safe and respectful space for everyone to learn along with us in our individual and collective pathways of decolonization.

Registration Information is also sent via the NPSG email newsletter. Please send us an email at nativeplantstudygroup@gmail.com if you have problems or questions.