Fire Effects on Traditional Food Plants

Project Title: Fire Effects on Traditional Food Plants

Recipient: Thompson Rivers University

Region: Cariboo

Theme(s): “A burn a day can help keep wildfire away”

Awarded Amount: $50,000

Project Period: 2025-2027

Description: This project aims to understand how fire management impacts the health and nutritional quality of culturally significant plants for the Xeni Gwet’in First Nations. We will assess ecological restoration and support traditional food sources through community-led traditional fire practices, fuel treatment thinning, and monitoring. Activities include controlled burning, fuel reduction, and community engagement through interviews and workshops, which include traditional knowledge paralleling scientific practices to enhance eco-cultural resilience and sustainable land management.