Archaeologists and Indigenous collaborators have recently re-discovered an ancient form of ecosystem engineering known as forest gardening. These unique ecosystems of ethnobotanically important fruit, nut, herb, and root plants are dotted throughout British Columbia and are associated with large archaeological village settlements. This lecture will address the anthropologi-cal and ecological significance of these ecosystems — specifically, how for-est gardens were managed and maintained by Coast Salish and Tsimshian people in the past, and how these special places continue to provide a suite of ecosystem services and functions in the present.

The Natural Resources & Environmental Studies Institute (NRESi) at UNBC hosts a weekly lecture series at the Prince George campus. Anyone from the university or wider community with interest in the topic area is welcome to attend. Presentations are also made available to remote participants through Livestream and Blue Jeans. Go to http://www.unbc.ca/nres-institute/colloquium-webcasts to view the presentation remotely.

Past NRESi colloquium presentations and special lectures can be viewed on our video archive, available here.