Salmonberry Stories: Signs of Culture in Forest Biological Diversity

Take a mind walk through forests of home and discover how they’re transformed by cultures that understand the connectedness of living beings.

Event: Salmonberry Stories: Signs of Culture in Forest Biological Diversity
Location: Zoom
Date: Friday, May 21, 2021 @ 1 pm – 2 pm
Cost: Free

Join Dr. Sm’hayetsk Teresa Ryan on a mind walk through forests of home and discover how the forest is transformed by cultures that understand the inter-connections of living beings. In honor of Cultural Diversity Day May 21 we will explore how Aboriginal stewardship shapes the forest and increases biological diversity. Some of the past landscape transformations could be right in front of you on the trails you have walked a hundred times but did not see. It’s like learning how to read the land.

About Dr. Sm’hayetsk Teresa Ryan:

Dr. Smhayetsk Teresa Ryan was born into the Gitlan tribe of the Tsimshian Nation. Her research is motivated by her Aboriginal Tsimshian heritage and the guidance provided by her Grandfather to become a fisheries scientist.

She completed her PhD in Resource Management and Environmental Studies at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver. Her PhD dissertation centres an Aboriginal perspective of Aboriginal economy and demonstrates how thousands of years of sustainable use based on Ancestral knowledge of cyclic resource production and variability is an intuitive component of Aboriginal stewardship. Her current Salmon-forest research in the lab of Professor Suzanne Simard investigates the potential to restore salmon abundance by using ancient Aboriginal salmon fishing technology and strategies.