Accelerating the development of sustainable pest management practices to support Indigenous food systems in British Columbia
Citation
Sharifi et al. 2023. Accelerating the development of sustainable pest management practices to support Indigenous food systems in British Columbia. WFN Project report.
Résumé en langage clair
Together with Westbank First Nation (WFN), Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) is conducting a research project, entitled “Accelerating the development of sustainable pest management practices to support Indigenous food systems in British Columbia”, which is funded by AAFC.
The project seeks to develop a framework for supporting Indigenous food systems through (i) exploration of the existence, ecology, and control methods for major pest insects and diseases of black huckleberry (Vaccinium membranaceum), and (ii) propagation of black huckleberry and use of ethno-agronomic practices for establishment and enhanced productivity of propagated plants. We hope that the proposed activities enhance the community’s access to this culturally significant food plant.
To meet these goals, we seek to develop sustainable in-field insect and disease management practices for integration and adoption by WFN. We break this report down to report on the progress of each of our group’s activities. We anticipate that the activities will generate new knowledge to increase the survival, distribution, and productivity of black huckleberry in WFN Territory and beyond.
Building on studies initiated in 2020, and continuing at present, we again conducted research at three focal huckleberry sites in the central Okanagan, a low elevation site above Glenrosa (Glenrosa), a mid-elevation site at off Rusty Forest Service Road above Bear Creek (Rusty), and a high elevation site off Rabbit Forest Service Road near Big White (Rabbit). Most research was carried out on-site at these locations, as outlined in the sections below.
Résumé
Together with Westbank First Nation (WFN), Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) is conducting a research project, entitled “Accelerating the development of sustainable pest management practices to support Indigenous food systems in British Columbia”, which is funded by AAFC.
The project seeks to develop a framework for supporting Indigenous food systems through (i) exploration of the existence, ecology, and control methods for major pest insects and diseases of black huckleberry (Vaccinium membranaceum), and (ii) propagation of black huckleberry and use of ethno-agronomic practices for establishment and enhanced productivity of propagated plants. We hope that the proposed activities enhance the community’s access to this culturally significant food plant.
To meet these goals, we seek to develop sustainable in-field insect and disease management practices for integration and adoption by WFN. We break this report down to report on the progress of each of our group’s activities. We anticipate that the activities will generate new knowledge to increase the survival, distribution, and productivity of black huckleberry in WFN Territory and beyond.
Building on studies initiated in 2020, and continuing at present, we again conducted research at three focal huckleberry sites in the central Okanagan, a low elevation site above Glenrosa (Glenrosa), a mid-elevation site at off Rusty Forest Service Road above Bear Creek (Rusty), and a high elevation site off Rabbit Forest Service Road near Big White (Rabbit). Most research was carried out on-site at these locations, as outlined in the sections below.