This past week I have taken an interest in learning about Western Red Cedar. I was talking to a teacher at my link2practice school and he mentioned that it was known as the “tree of life” for indigenous groups along the coast because it has so many uses. Despite it’s name, the Western Red Cedar belongs to the Cypress family. This tree is an evergreen, coniferous tree with scale-like leaves instead of needles. It thrives in wet environments where the soil is damp and rich with nutrients. The Western Red Cedar can be found from the coast of Alaska all the way down to the coast of Northern California. However, it can also be found in wetter parts of BC’s interior, and as far as Montana. These massive trees can grow for thousands of years and the can grow up to 60m or more!

The Western Red Cedar is a beloved tree that has rot-resistant bark, which is what makes it versatile and highly valued. Indigenous groups would harvest the bark from younger trees in strips in the early summer. This process is done very carefully and normally only one strip is taken from the tree in order to keep it healthy. This tree can be used to make baskets, various tools, it can be hollowed out to make canoes and it can be used for house siding. The leaves also have medicinal properties and can be used in cough medicine as well as an ointment for joint pains.

Something that I learned is that Western Red Cedar trees are highly susceptible to climate change and droughts. When there isn’t enough water for them, the tops of the trees dry out and die. They are also sensitive to human disturbances. There have been some instances where the roots of these trees have been disturbed which leads to the tree dying off.

Overall, these trees are an important part of the coastal ecosystem and are highly valued culturally and hopefully you learned something new about the Western Red Cedar!