Indigenous Forest Gardens Look to Expand

This research focuses on revitalizing Indigenous forest gardening practices, where communities like the Ts’msyen, Gitxsan, and Coast Salish have long managed soils to cultivate food and medicine within biodiverse ecosystems. A partnership between UBC, SFU, and three First Nations aims to measure the ecological impacts of these ancestral practices, using advanced soil and plant health metrics while aligning with Indigenous governance and protocols. By combining traditional knowledge with scientific methodologies, the project seeks to enhance soil and ecosystem resilience, support food production, and inform policy for forest garden expansion. This localized, place-based approach highlights the critical role of Indigenous stewardship in shaping temperate rainforests and sustaining biodiversity.