Faculty Advisor
Fisher, Amy
Area of Study
Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Publication Date
Summer 2014
Abstract
This summer, I researched the plants, fungi, and people of Tacoma’s Swan Creek Park Food Forest (SCPFF) in order to allow the site to tell its own story through the histories in which the local plants and people are both rooted. My overall goal was to unearth the submerged influences that have shaped the SCPFF which, in their exposure, can create an approach to sustainable community building that is inclusive of multiple cultural identities, as well as respectful of the sovereignty of those identities.
I began my investigation with plants and fungi that are indigenous to the area, with a focus on how they were used by the First People of Cascadia. The Puyallup Tribe Indian Reservation’s boundaries used to include Swan Creek Park, and honoring and promoting awareness of this history is integral to the overall ethical development of the site. I also researched local native culture as it exists today, highlighting Native American food sovereignty projects in the Puget Sound area that share a mission of promoting native traditional foods and plants.
I examined how waves of immigration added context and complexity to the SCPFF site as it stands today, including early European settlers and today's Ukrainian diaspora. Finally, I made recommendations for ethical development and cultural sensitivity.
Recommended Citation
Meschi, Renee, "People, Plants, and Fungi: Examining the Ecological and Social Landscapes of the Swan Creek Park Food Forest" (2014). Summer Research. 220.
https://soundideas.pugetsound.edu/summer_research/220
Rights
Publisher
University of Puget Sound
Included in
Agricultural and Resource Economics Commons, Eastern European Studies Commons, Indigenous Studies Commons, Other Languages, Societies, and Cultures Commons, Slavic Languages and Societies Commons, Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons, Social History Commons, Soviet and Post-Soviet Studies Commons, Urban Studies and Planning Commons