Food plants of interior First Peoples

Summary: For centuries, First Peoples in the interior of British Columbia and adjacent territories in Washington have harvested a variety of wild plants for food. Berries, nuts, roots, greens, mushrooms, lichens and tree cambium (the succulent inner bark) were important parts of First Peoples’ diets. In this best-selling book, renowned ethnobotanist Nancy Turner describes more than 150 plants traditionally harvested and eaten by First Peoples east of the Coast Mountains in British Columbia and northern Washington and Montana. Each description includes information on where to find the plant and a discussion on traditional methods of harvesting and preparation. Food Plants of Interior First Peoples, along with its companion on coastal peoples, has two purposes, as the author states in her introduction: “to inform the public of the wide variety of edible plants in the privince; and, for those interested in aboriginal history and culture, especially aboriginal people, to provide specific information on plants used by individual groups and the different methods employed for harvesting and preparing them.” --

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