WSU Vancouver students to cultivate indigenous plants in garden for ‘all the tomorrows’Subscriber Exclusive

School breaks ground on plot that will be both classroom and resource for students

By Griffin Reilly, Columbian staff writer

Published: June 13, 2024, 6:04am

7 Photos

At right, Cheyenne and Lakota artist and activist Roben White and Portland State University Indigenous traditional ecological and cultural knowledge coordinator Emma Johnson stick shovels in the ground Wednesday during a ceremonial groundbreaking for a new Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge Garden at Washington State University Vancouver. The garden is intended to link education in agriculture with lessons in the history of Southwest Washington. (Photos by Taylor Balkom/The Columbian) Photo Gallery

A large, new garden space for both student and community use is coming to Washington State University Vancouver’s campus.

“They say to plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow,” said Tanna Engdahl, spiritual leader for the Cowlitz Indian Tribe.

Engdahl was among several speakers at the groundbreaking for the school’s Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge Garden.