New research is shining a light on how the Nuchatlaht people cultivated plants for centuries on Nootka Island in B.C., and it could have a significant impact for the First Nation's claim of Aboriginal land title to more than 200 square kilometres of the island.
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Along Canada’s northwest coast, ancient Indigenous forest gardens untended for more than 150 years continue to thrive. Ts’msyen and Coast Salish peoples once planted and cared for plots of native fruit and nut trees, shrubs, and medicinal plants and roots along the north and south Pacific coast, a new Simon Fraser University study finds.
Forest gardening is a common method of food cultivation and agroforestry in Indigenous communities around the world, especially in tropical regions. But the findings published in
Ecology and Society mark the first time these lush, open, orchard-like plots have been studied in North America.
These forest gardeners got sustainable returns for centuries. Dr. Chelsey Geralda Armstrong is now studying their work.
Crawford Kilian is a contributing editor of The Tyee. SHARES The SFU team found ecological diversity was richer on the lands of ancient Indigenous villages than in neighbouring forests.
Photo submitted.
A historical ecologist and her team at Simon Fraser University have made a crucial discovery about B.C.’s ancient forest ecosystems one that could strengthen the systems of today and tomorrow and equip us to understand our own environment even as it changes with the climate.
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