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Mount Douglass Research Paper

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For my place narrative assignment, I chose to focus on a place that I not only visit frequently, but truly appreciate: Mount Douglas. This is a place I value not only for its beauty, but for the calmness it allows me to experience as a result of being part of nature. As it turns out, this has been the location of many important histories, dating back hundreds of years, and is still making history today. This history is significant both ecologically, and culturally, and is something I have enjoyed learning about. Through researching this place, and its surrounding area I have come to learn its importance branches far greater than its importance to me. Before James Douglas, or any other settlers had arrived, this place was known as PKOLS by the indigenous peoples in the area. PKOLS is located in the W̱SÁNEĆ territory, bordering Lekwungen and was a meaningful meeting place for these two nations as well as with Songhees, and Esquimalt nations. Not only was it significant due to the …show more content…

After years of erosion, made more prevalent due to previous logging practices, there is now barren rock visible in many parts of the mountain. With very little soil on this rock, mosses and lichens grow exclusively on the barren topography. Where there is soil, it is far less rich in nutrients than when it was managed by W̱SÁNEĆ people. Despite this fact, there are still large Douglas Firs (Pseudotsuga menziesii) that grow all over the hill and surrounding park area, accompanied by other smaller trees. Along with these native tree and plant species, there are many invasive species as well. Due to the high volume of human visitors, there is inevitably a large population of introduced species. Though PKOLS may not be as productive of a landscape as it has been in the past, there are still many species that manage to flourish in this

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