Siska, British Columbia facts for kids
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Siska, also known as Cisco, is a small community in the beautiful Fraser Canyon in British Columbia, Canada. It's located about 9.4 kilometers south of the town of Lytton. Siska is famous for its amazing bridges where two major train lines, the Canadian Pacific (CPR) and the Canadian National Railway (CNR), cross the Fraser River.
The land in the Fraser Canyon is very narrow and steep. This makes it impossible for both train tracks to run on the same side of the river. So, at Siska, the trains switch sides using two special bridges. The CNR bridge is a little upstream from the CPR bridge. The CPR bridge even goes into a tunnel called the Cantilever Bar Tunnel right into the side of Cisco Bluff. These bridges are a very famous sight along the CPR's route through British Columbia and are easy to see from the nearby Trans-Canada Highway.
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The Siska First Nation Community
Siska is also the home of the Siska First Nation. This is a local government of the Nlaka'pamux people, who have lived in the Fraser Canyon for thousands of years. Their main community area, called a rancherie, is right off the highway. It sits on a wide, flat area of land, or benchland, just below the CPR bridge.
Services and Culture
The Siska First Nation community has a general store, a museum, and a band office. They also offer other services for their members. The museum is a great place to learn about the history and culture of the Nlaka'pamux people.
Protecting the Land with Traditional Knowledge
The Siska First Nation is involved in interesting projects to help their community and protect the environment. One project uses traditional knowledge about plants, also known as ethnobotany. They grow and harvest traditional food and other plant materials from the wilderness around them. These plants are then made into health products, bath products, and teas. This project helps them use their land in a sustainable way and compete with logging companies for forest leases. It's a way to preserve their land and traditions.
Nature and Plants in Siska
Siska marks an interesting spot for plants in the Fraser Canyon. It's the northernmost place where you can find the bigleaf maple tree. The plant life here is much thicker and greener than in Lytton. This is because Siska is part of a natural change from the dry interior climate to the wetter coastal rainforest. This change in plant types continues until you reach the community of Spuzzum.
