Manning Park Alpine Meadows

Welcome to our interactive 360-degree Manning Park Coastal Mountain-Heather Ecosystem experience where we will delve into the complexities of BC's alpine meadow ecosystems. Navigate this virtual expedition to unravel the complexities of alpine ecosystems, understanding the specialized adaptations of resident organisms, and gain an appreciation for the history of the land on which this tour takes place. This tour will follow the 3 Brothers Trail within Manning Park, extending from the lower alpine meadows to the peak of Third Brother Mountain.

This tour takes place on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded tm̓xʷúlaʔxʷ (land) of the Syilx / Okanagan and Nłeʔkepmx / Nlaka’pamux peoples who have resides here since time immemorial. They hold traditional knowledge of the region’s plants, animals, weather and climate, which they have passed down through the generations. We recognize, honour, and respect the Syilx / Okanagan and Nłeʔkepmx / Nlaka’pamux lands upon which we have been able to create this tour.

Before we embark on our 360 virtual expedition, it's essential to understand the 'why' behind our journey. Beyond the pixels and panoramic views lies a purpose – a desire to extend the reach of our university experience. By traveling digitally to Manning Park, we aim to showcase the diverse opportunities, unique landscapes, and educational environments that await beyond our familiar campus borders. This includes a glimpse into the realm of land-based education, offering insights into hands-on learning experiences that connect students with the natural world.

Instructions: 

To open in full screen (recommended), you can press F11 or navigate the drop down menu in the bottom right corner of the tour. Scroll around the 360 images in the 360 tour below to explore each scene. As you explore the scenes, click on the icons located throughout the area to access information cards, optional questions, videos or other internet resources. For the best experience, make sure your sound is turned on.

Note to Instructors: Additional instructional resources accompanying this trip are available. Let us know if you would like to obtain those, or if you have any questions. We welcome your feedback! Email:  nina.hewitt@ubc.ca 

Project Lead: Nina Hewitt, conception, storyboarding, field media creation, and student supervision (2020-24); Undergraduate WorkLearn Research Assistant: (2023-4) Andrew Yan, BSc. candidate, Geographical Sciences, media co-development and 3D Vista tour programmer.

Acknowledgements:

A special thanks to Stepan Wood for photographic assistance in the field. The work would not have been possible without his assistance. We thank Ciara Norton for contributing images in the last couple of tour stops; Andrea Sze for narrating the land acknowledgement in the pilot version; Brian Wilson, collaborator on a related project, our  Pacific Spirit Forest AR , and for his advice and support on our team; Undergraduate Project Assistant Emily Ballon for her work on a related alpine tour (S. Chilcotin Mountains) that helped to inform this one. And Cassandra Elphinstone for providing plant guidance and team support.

Special thanks to Sʔím̓laʔxʷ Michele Johnson from the Syilx Language House for assisting with the N̓syilxčn̓ language and narration of this tour and Parks BC for allowing us to collect content within E.C. Manning Provincial Park. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support for this project provided by the UBC Worklearn Program; and UBC Vancouver students via the Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund.

Alpine Ecosystem VR: Manning Park (2023) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Based on work at:  https://arcg.is/0yDyqf0 

 References cite  and resources used within the tour

 Information panels  included in the tour

 Instructional videos  included in the tour

 Overview of alpine (and arctic) plant adaptations 

 Overview of Alpine Plant Taxa in BC