The+West+Coast


 * Natural Resources - West Coast **


 * • What physical and natural forces have shaped Canada and created a diverse landscape? - Steven/Troy **

**The West Coast trail** A hike that invites and brings people from allover to see our beautiful rivers, forests and vast oceans. media type="youtube" key="648gwElcPzU" height="315" width="420" Aboriginal people used many trees to carve totem poles, telling stories of their past. These totem poles are now recognizable as part of west coast culture. media type="youtube" key="Vi5u7A9DRAc" height="315" width="560" The First Nations were the first people to live on the west coast and nature around them (forests, rivers, oceans) were the only resources that they had. Whether for food, shelter, or cultural aspects like music and story telling, nature was a major part of original west coast culture.media type="custom" key="21341814" Strathcona was originally part of the Mowachaht and Muchalaht land and is a good example of a massive west coast forest.
 * Mountains are a big part of Canada's diverse landscape
 * [[image:http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSLRZEo28Ed7QdBevJfYSQApZGZAdfOqE6ZhJNp5cXOcLNqce6C width="278" height="181"]]
 * media type="youtube" key="_9zcYyCSUQA" width="425" height="350"
 * • How have physical and natural forces shaped our culture and identity? - Victoria/Jess **
 * Trees, especially ** **cedar, are very big in representing the west coast.**
 * This video shows an example of the correlation between the Haida and their story-telling as well as their ties to nature, through animation and voiceover.**
 * Strathcona Provincial Park was the very first park in BC to be made into a provincial park.**

Pictured here as an original postcard and in the place where it once stood, the golden spruce was revered by the First Nations who lived near it as more than just a tree. Other trees with the similar 'golden' appearance have been found, but none so renowned as the one that once lived here.
 * The Golden Spruce, the focus of our current Socials unit, was a large part of the West Coast culture while it was still alive.**


 * • How have communities in Canada adapted to, and been affected by, geographical changes? - Vincent/Kim **

Here is a link if you are wanting to check out more of the Coastal Communities in British Columbia.
 * Namu is a small coastal community in British Columbia and has adapted to British Columbia by using it's abundance of fish to their advantage. Namu became a large fishery and cannery town, where they mostly caught and sold salmon. Scientists estimate that people have been fishing in Namu since 10 000 BCE.
 * Another example is Bella Coola in British Columbia. This small town is only home to about 600 people. Due to it's tall snowy mountains, and valley in the middle. This community has adapted to the difficult-to-use georgraphy by using it for many movies and commercials.
 * Finally, another example of a community on the West Coast that has adapted to geographical changes would be Port Alberni in British Columbia. In around 1860, a sawmill was opened here due to the need of lumber during the Civil War. Because England was not allowed to ship lumber from the Southern United States, they saw that Port Alberni would be the perfect opportunity. Men and machines were sent here, and the community was then started and began to thrive.
 * [[image:http://images.cdn.fotopedia.com/anboto-b9LMlEGjQFc-hd.jpg width="401" height="593" link="http://images.cdn.fotopedia.com/anboto-b9LMlEGjQFc-hd.jpg"]]
 * As the examples have shown, British Columbian coastal towns have been shown to adapt to geographical changes very easily, using the many resources to there advantage.