photo by Karen Laslo
Master TEK Practitioner Ali Meders-Knight prepares willow for basket-making.
Indigenous Peoples Day was celebrated today in Chico with something resembling an “open house” at Verbena Fields, where visitors and volunteers have been learning about and practicing ecosystem restoration through the Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) program.
Community members were arriving at Verbena Fields at the end of East 1st Avenue late this morning to help out or learn more.
The Traditional Ecological Stewardship Program encourages “ecosystem replenishment” with native, climate-change-adapted plants. TEK offers field trips for children and volunteers gather weekly for weed gathering, willow care and vernal pool development. Visit the TEK website to learn more about the indigenous-led land management program. — Leslie Layton