Talking Trees – School Tour – Cleveland Dam/Capilano River

We will walk and hike along the guided trails and explore the various species of trees and plants while your guide points out the diversity of local plants that were harvested by our people for food, shelter, art and medicine.

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Location:

 Cleveland Park, North Vancouver

Season

 jan / feb / mar / apr / may / jun / sep / oct / dec

Duration:

 1.5 Hours

Guests:

 16-32 Students

Rates:
  • Teachers and Chaperons are complimentary (2 per 20 students). Additional adults will be charged the student rate.
  • $16 per Student

Includes:
  • Cultural Ambassador Guides

What to Bring:
  • Walking shoes
  • Layered clothiing
  • Water bottle
  • Snacks
Download Itinerary (PDF 0.32 MB)

Tour Overview

Local Talaysay guide and a trained Indigenous ambassador-educator will introduce the students to the forests, the cultural stories and shared practices of the indigenous ecological and spiritual perspectives that have sustained Coast Salish Indigenous people for centuries.

  • This program shares indigenous practices of living, via sustainable and selective harvesting
  • Local history and ecology of the North Shore, the Capilano River
  • The Tree of Life – Cedar, it’s sacred gifts: medicine, technology, shelter, clothing, transportation
  • West Coast Temporal Rain Forest – an ultimate community network
  • The Land is Us and We are the Land – land management techniques, the social practices. Selective burning, the various forms for practiced agriculture, transplanting, pruning
  • Your class will learn about the maple tree, douglas fir tree, red alder tree, the western hemlock, and the many wild berries of this regions
  • Plants as medicine, frog leaves, plantain, horsetail – the forest is our grocery story and pharmacy

"Spoken Treasures Tour"

Thank you for a wonderful and informative walking tour. Wes was a brilliant guide and he really brought the first nations people and their stories alive for us. It was great to hear him speaking his language and singing; 21st century Vancouver melted away and we were taken back in time.

We could have spent the whole day listening to him and learning about the coast Salish peoples. A memorable afternoon and thoroughly recommended if you want to learn about the culture and traditions of the first nation peoples of Vancouver.

Christine R — TripAdvisor

Tour Locations

Cleveland Park - 1.5 Hours
Group Tours Only

Meeting Location

Cleveland Park, 5077 Dam Rd, North Vancouver

Times

Morning: 9:30am – 11am or 10am – 11:30am

Afternoon: 1pm – 2:30pm

Discount Student Rates

The discounted student rate (60%) is effective with 20 or more students. Teachers and Chaperons are complimentary. Max of two complimentary members.

In planning your land based learning activity with your class, we invite all teachers to inform us of any curriculum connections you would like to meet in our tour program. Discussion of these curriculum goals require advanced planning.

Additional Information

Excludes

 

  • GST (tax) is added for all school tours. 
Booking Details

Talaysay Customer Service and policies: Our tours and school programs proceed on rainy days. If weather is extreme with respect to severe rain or wind, we will contact you to re-schedule or cancel without cancellation penalty.

Medical: We ask the teachers to inform us in advance if there is any student or participants who requires an epi pen or if there are any participants with injuries or health matters that could affect their ability to experience our tour program in its full capacity.

Group Cancellation: 7 days or more are required for a refund; we will reimburse less a 20% administration fee.

Classroom management:  We ask all teachers to support this program with classroom management.

Customer Service, Policies & Best Practices

We walk on light rainy days and encourage visitors to love our rain forest coast, just as the locals do. If weather is extreme with respect to rain or wind, we will consult and re-schedule. Cancellations with 48 hours advance notice will be reimbursed with a 20% admin fee. If you would like to reschedule for another day, our company will schedule you in. Groups of four or more, if cancelling with Talaysay, we require 7 days notice for reimbursement.

Payments, Taxes & Group Rates

We accept Visa and Mastercard. Your booking will be completed by your payment in full in which you will receive a full itinerary by email. 5% GST will be added to your booking payment.

For more information on our booking & rental policies, please call 1 (800) 605-4643.