Video: How Wetaskiwin is nurturing healing and Reconciliation through community forestry

The Ma ma tâ wan Sakâw Healing Forest shows how relationships and Indigenous knowledge can turn a degraded landscape into a healing space.

Through a shared vision for rewilding and Reconciliation, the City of Wetaskiwin partnered with a non-profit organization, Project Forest, to transform a degraded 3.3-hectare land into a thriving natural canopy.  

Supported by Tree planting funding from the Green Municipal Fund's (GMF) Growing Canada’s Community Canopies initiative and guided by the wisdom and teachings of Elder Ivy Raine from the Louis Bull Tribe, the project brings people together to turn degraded ground into a resilient community ecosystem.

Turning a retired landfill into a thriving canopy

Before planting could begin, the municipal site presented serious environmental challenges. The 3.3-hectare plot was a retired construction landfill located directly beside By-the-Lake Park, a popular municipal destination with walking trails and wetlands. The ground was packed with heavily compacted clay, choked with invasive weeds and lacked tree canopy cover.

To restore the landfill and buffer the lake, the Ma ma tâ wan Sakâw Healing Forest project is planting nearly 9,000 hardy seedlings to build lasting community benefits:

• Centering Indigenous leadership: Ongoing engagement with Elder Ivy Raine on behalf of Louis Bull Tribe guides species selection and ongoing site stewardship.
• Selecting climate-resilient species: The planting plan prioritizes native, drought-resistant and fire-resistant trees as well as culturally significant medicine plants adapted to thrive over the next 100 years.  
• Protecting sensitive wetlands: Establishing tree cover adjacent to the lake improves water filtration, prevents erosion and creates critical habitat for migratory waterfowl.  
• Reconnecting neighbours: Community planting events give Wetaskiwin residents and Maskwacis Nation members a shared space to gather, build relationships and practise ecological Reconciliation.

By replacing compacted clay and gravel with shaded walking paths and traditional medicine plants, the Ma ma tâ wan Sakâw Healing Forest creates a living sanctuary where nature and community can thrive together for generations.