Determining the availability of traditional wild plant foods: An example of Nuxalk foods, Bella Coola, British Columbia

Forty‐two plant foods known to have been used in the past by native people of the Nuxalk Nation, Bella Coola, British Columbia, Canada, were studied. To estimate the availability of the most prominent plant food resources, field estimates were made using modifications of standard techniques for quantifying plant species. Assessments of accessibility, abundance and frequency of food species were made. In addition, harvesting efficiency of 24 species was determined. Twenty species were selected as being the most readily available food resources, and therefore good candidates for nutritional research and promotion. These included the trees: Populus trichocarpa, Pyrus fusca, Tsuga heterophylla; the shrubs: Amelanchier alnifolia, Ledum groenlandicum, Ribes divaricatum, Rosa nutkana, Rubus idaeus, R. parviflorus, R. spectabilis, Sambucus racemosa, Vaccinium ovalifolium, V. parvifolium, Viburnum edule, and the herbs: Cornus canadensis, Epilobium angustifolium, Heracleum lanatwn, Maianthemum dilatatum, Potentilla pacifica, Trifolium wormskioldii. It was concluded that the variety and quantity of plant food resources of the Nuxalk Nation in the Bella Coola Valley are substantial.

Key words:

• plant food availability
• indigenous foods
• Nuxalk
• Bella Coola
• Native Indians

Notes

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