Roots of Resilience: Indigenous Knowledge Systems Shape Ecosystems & Sustain Life
Explore the deep connections between people, plants, and places in Tending the Earth: Silm Da’axk / To Revive and Heal Again. Join historical ecologist Chelsey Geralda Armstrong and ethnobotanist Nancy J. Turner as they discuss their groundbreaking work in documenting and revitalizing Indigenous knowledge systems. From forest gardens and berry patches to the cultural keystone places of the Ts’msyen people, this talk highlights the profound role of traditional land and resource management in shaping ecosystems and sustaining communities.
This engaging dialogue will delve into Armstrong’s research on ancient practices of cultivation and Turner’s reflections on decades of ethnobotanical work. Together, they illuminate how Indigenous teachings offer solutions to contemporary ecological challenges, fostering a future of healing, resilience, and respect for the land. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how ancient wisdom continues to inform and inspire our relationship with the earth.
About Nancy Turner & Chelsey Geralda Armstrong
Chelsey Geralda Armstrong is a historical ecologist and archaeologist specializing in the historical ecology of land use and colonialism in the Pacific Northwest. She is an assistant professor in Indigenous Studies at Simon Fraser University and an associate member of the School of Resource and Environmental Management. As director of the Historical-Ecological Research Lab (HER Lab), Dr. Armstrong conducts community-based research in Ts’msyen and Gitxsan territories, focusing on traditional resource management, ancient forest gardens, and Indigenous data sovereignty. She has published widely in international journals and serves as an associate editor for People and Nature and reviews editor for Human Ecology.
Dr. Armstrong’s work highlights the enduring role of Indigenous stewardship in shaping ecosystems. In 2024, she co-authored a study demonstrating that Indigenous peoples in present-day British Columbia cultivated beaked hazelnuts over 7,000 years ago, challenging outdated views of pre-colonial land use. Through collaborative, action-oriented research, she seeks to address the impacts of colonialism and advocate for Indigenous land rights and sovereignty.
Nancy J. Turner is a renowned ethnobotanist and Distinguished Professor Emerita from the University of Victoria. With over 50 years of work alongside First Nations Elders and cultural specialists in northwestern North America, she has helped document and promote traditional knowledge of plants, Indigenous foods, and medicines. Nancy has authored over 30 books, including Ancient Pathways, Ancestral Knowledge and The Earth’s Blanket, and contributed more than 150 papers and chapters.
Her work has earned numerous accolades, including membership in the Order of British Columbia (1999) and the Order of Canada (2009), as well as honorary degrees from several universities. Nancy’s contributions continue to illuminate the rich interplay between ethnobotany, ecological wisdom, and Indigenous land rights.
