A new study challenges traditional assumptions that pre-colonial Indigenous populations were only “hunter-gatherers” who did not actively manage the landscapes they occupied. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the research reveals the profound role of Indigenous peoples in shaping the ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest.
Led by Chelsey Geralda Armstrong (Indigenous Studies, Simon Fraser University) and a team of interdisciplinary scientists from Hakai Institute, the research indicates that Gitxsan, Ts’msyen, and Nisga’a were actively transplanting and managing hazelnut tree populations.
The study uncovers the deep historical and genetic connections between seemingly isolated hazelnut populations in northwestern BC, highlighting the sophisticated stewardship of these supposedly "wild" plants long before settler colonialism. This is the first genetic evidence showing direct evidence of the management and cultivation of plant species like beaked hazelnut (Corylus cornuta).
This long-distance transplanting and in-situ cultivation of hazelnut demonstrates how Indigenous communities shaped plant species distributions in their territories over time—contradicting previous assumptions that hazelnut was naturally occurring in the region, as well as colonial narratives that view Indigenous land-use practices as passive or even non-existent.
"For far too long, Indigenous peoples have been discounted as agents and even architects of species range distributions throughout North America,” says Armstrong.
“This is strongly challenged here with not just genetic evidence, but also linguistic, ethnographic, and ethnobotanical evidence. The paper makes a strong case that people were moving favoured species throughout their homelands, throughout time."
The research further provides a window into the historical interplay between people and plants, where non-domesticated species like hazelnut were as vital to food, medicine, and technologies as domesticated crops. The findings highlight the importance of recognizing Indigenous knowledge and nuanced impacts of people-plant interactions through time—all of which need to be better articulated and respected in settler conservation and restoration strategies.
About the Study
The findings were a result of a fortunate synergy between Armstrong and her collaborators, who had a theory requiring genetic data for confirmation, and Hakai Institute genomics researchers with expertise in population genetics. Based at the Marna Genome Lab on Quadra Island, British Columbia, Hakai Institute researchers oversaw the sample processing and analysis of genomic data.
This research is part of ongoing efforts by Armstong and her collaborators to understand the co-evolutionary relationships between humans and plants in the Pacific Northwest. By integrating genetic data with ethnographic and archaeological records, the team works to uncover the overlooked histories of Indigenous plant management, contributing to a broader understanding of land stewardship practices.
Key Findings
Genetic evidence supports long-distance transplanting and cultivation of hazelnut by Indigenous Peoples in British Columbia.
The research emphasizes the importance of Indigenous stewardship in shaping plant species' distribution, challenging settler-colonial narratives of "wild" landscapes.
Ethnographic and ethnobotanical indices enhance the explanatory power of plant genetic profiles and biogeography and help to uncover the history of culturally important taxa.
For more details contact
Chelsey Geralda Armstrong, Simon Fraser University: chelsey_geralda@sfu.ca
+1 (604) 346-8824
Tula Communications: press@tula.org
About Tula Foundation & The Hakai Institute
Tula Foundation
The Tula Foundation is a British Columbia-based organization that harnesses science and technology to tackle urgent global issues. Tula takes a comprehensive approach to these challenges, from coastal biodiversity and public health to data management and mobilization. Along with rural healthcare in Guatemala, Tula's work drives pivotal action for coastal conservation and ocean research in British Columbia and beyond. Learn more at www.tula.org.
Hakai Institute
The Hakai Institute, part of the Tula Foundation, is a British Columbia-based scientific institution dedicated to advancing science on the coastal margin. Hakai pursues its mission from ice fields to oceans, leveraging its ecological observatories and other strategic locations on the province’s coast. The Hakai Institute partners with universities, NGOs, First Nations, government agencies, businesses, and local communities to move the needle on advancing long-term coastal research. Learn more at www.hakai.org
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