Healing Forest: Prince Edward Island

The National Healing Forest Project: Prince Edward Island will provide a natural area that allows Residential School survivors, families, and all Canadians to have a place of solitude in which they are able to reflect and heal from the legacy of the Residential School System, or other traumas. Through this project, a piece of land has been restored to its native ecosystem state, adding trails, benches, interpretive signage, and a wild medicinal garden. While there were many objectives for this project, the two main goals were to 1) reforest and restore the land to its native ecosystem and to create a peaceful, natural setting where Indigenous culture and ceremonies are able to be openly practiced and; 2) bridge the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous cultures by involving youth in various stages of the project. By doing so we hope that they have gained a deeper understanding and appreciation for Indigenous cultures on PEI.

About Brendan Kelly

Brendan is an alum of the 2012 Arctic Expedition and is currently in his last year of the Bachelor of Wildlife Conservation program at the University of Prince Edward Island. Since junior high school, Brendan has been managing a large conservation project back home in Newfoundland. To date, he manages over 200 nest boxes for various species of cavity-nesting species of birds. He has formed partnerships with Parks Canada, Provincial Park Staff, Fish & Wildlife Conservation officers and many members of the public to help coordinate monitoring of the boxes. Brendan will be responsible for forming partnerships with the Mi’kmaq community of PEI and various local groups and educational institutions to promote the project. Also, Brendan will be the liaison with Island Nature Trust who will help by providing the location for the project and expertise in habitat management. Brendan will also play a large part in the planting of trees and plants.