Piikani Nation students learn significance of grasslands preservation

Dozens of students from the Piikani Nation had the unique opportunity for some hands-on learning of their local geography and the history of grasslands on Thursday.

Environmental experts along with local elders were on hand to teach about their significance and the importance of preserving them.

“Having the students kind of realize that their home, their land is important in the grander scheme and they are responsible and they have a right to the benefits of that water resource and land resource,” added Weighill.

In an effort to get that message across, the students made several stops around the first nation to learn from environmental experts.

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“There are tons of unstudied, untested plants that exist here and across the grasslands and people in the university are constantly looking to make new medicine, new fragrances new products in general, ” Weighill said.

The students were also taught about the importance of agriculture and the animals that feed on the grasslands.

“Looking at land preservation and sharing the knowledge and history of who we are and why we are here — that is such a key to be able to create that awareness with them and instill that in them so that down the road, that is something that would be their priority,” said Noreen Plain Eagle, lands manager with the Piikani Nation.

“The grasslands today are very important to all of us,” said Piikani Elder Herman Many Guns. “Land management is one of the key things and to pass on to the future generations of our people.”

This was the first time the school has held this sort of trip, which it said it looks forward to holding more frequently.