Hardwood Forest The Keepers of the Deciduous Forest»» The Sugar Maple The Basket Tree The Gifts of the Earth From Plump Berries to Fruit Paste Fruits as Big as Damsons Well-Travelled Nuts The Power of Herbs Women of the Corn Plants of Light and Spirit The Tree of Peace The Three Sisters The Art of the Longhouses Tangled Grain Wood The Mystery of Annedda Conifer Forest Northern Territory Knowledge, Know-how

HARDWOOD FOREST The Keepers of the Deciduous Forest Five nations have lived in the deciduous forest since time immemorial: the Abenaki, the Malecite, the Micmac, the Huron-Wendat and the Mohawk. Their names ­ Wôbanaki, "Land of the Dawn"; Wulustuk, "St. John's River"; Mi'gmaq, "The Allies" undoubtedly; Wendat, "The Island Dwellers"; and Kanien'kehá:ka, "People of the Flint" ­ evoke their links to the earth as well as their different origins. Traditionally, the former are part of the general cultural and linguistic family of the Algonquian, while the latter, the Huron-Wendat and the Mohawk, whose more sedentary lifestyle is due to their agricultural activities, are part of the Iroquoian family. These peoples share the same forest, which is dominated by the sugar maple, the ash and the oak, but which also contains conifers such as the pine and hemlock. It is Québec's most diversified forest, and its resources are abundant. The gentle climate and fertile soil allowed the nations to develop farming activities, including the cultivation of corn, beans and squash. The Mohawk and Huron-Wendat made these foods part of their staple diet. The Abenaki also farmed, but like the Malecite and Micmac, they lived more from hunting, fishing and gathering. The deciduous forest underbrush overflows with herbaceous plants, some of which, like the trillium and wild leek, are gathered among other things for their edible bulbs and curative properties.

| MENU | ABOUT THE GARDEN | GARDENS AND GREENHOUSES | PLANTS AND COLLECTIONS | | EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES | SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES | HORTICULTURAL ACTIVITIES | LIBRARY | | GREEN PAGES | LINKS | J@RDIN DES JEUNES BRANCHÉS | | SITE MAP | SEARCH | MAILBOX | Last updated: 2005-07-25 Credits All rights reserved Ville de Montréal