On a saturday morning, spoonful of dirt found their way down a rocky slope behind the parking lot of Supermarché Akhavan on Rue Saint-Jacques. We happily stumbled into the beautiful but narrow strip of forest referred to as Falaise St Jacques. It stretches along the railroad tracks and the fast moving artery of the A20 like a green caterpillar. You can read more about this green space and how it survives as one here.
We unpacked our drawing and reference materials from a wheely suitcase and a backpack and set them down on old concrete slabs for visitors to peruse and play with. Here are some photos of the wonderful encounters we had while meditating on the forest creatures of the area, surrounding areas, places gone and places maybe to come back. Look at the bed of oak leaves!
This is the endangered Blanding’s turtle or tortue mouchetée by Mila.
A connection between a late fall emerging colias and one of the participants. Drawing the wood thrush, the short-eared owl, and the Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander. Brown snake hibernacle near-by.
Rendering of a woodthrush and citizens exchanging information about chimney swifts, controlling buckthorn, and more. Later Ashley from FUN (Finding Urban Nature) took us on a forest walk and we heard many stories about plant species and their migrations in the area. Here is a rare species of Sumac that may have blown in from Ontario and kept well by the shelter of a pine and a spruce.
Thank you to NDG Community Council for this opportunity. See you in the Falaise !
Spoonful of Dirt 