This First Nations horticulturist indigenises plant spaces in BC

Autumn is often thought of as harvest time, but a Statimak, Nehiyaw and mixed European horticulturist in Metro Vancouver says it’s the perfect time to start some native plants.

“The soil is still warm from the summer and then we get all the rain, so it’s a nice easy transition for the plant,” said Shayla Chalifoux, who is part of the Sequ’l’Was community, also known as the Cayuse Creek Band.

chalifoux is the founder of Shalish Plants, and works to indigenize plant spaces in BC by incorporating native plants during sub-consultations for landscape architects, municipalities and organizations and through speaking engagements and workshops.

Most people think of planting season as spring, but Chalifoux said many native plants prefer fall, like sweetgrass and camas bulbs.

Sweetgrass, used for staining and ceremonial purposes, grows near rivers, lake shores, and wet meadows. Often associated with the Plains, Chalifoux said it is also considered a native plant of B.C.

“There are some stories that people think about about a time when people from the plains came here and traded it with people, taught some of the communities here to grow it,” Chalifoux said.

camus bulb is a carbohydrate food source comparable to sweet potatoes, and is considered a traditional food source for many First Nations, including Quwtsun Nation And Songhees Nation,

“Some ucwalmícwPeople from the Stetim area will actually go to Washington (state) to dig up these bulbs and bring them back to eat, Chalifoux said.

Despite native plants being important for biodiversity, Chalifoux said education lags behind when it comes to using native plants in urban spaces.

Look How the land benefits from including native plants:

Indigenizing BC’s Green Spaces

“In the horticulture industry that I’ve been in, I haven’t seen a lot of native plants prioritized and certainly not a lot of indigenous knowledge,” Chalifoux said.

“A lot of people in the industry are just going for the show, and for the humans; they’re not considering all the other relationships we have.”

BC tops in plant biodiversity

according to bc provinceThe plant biodiversity in British Columbia is unmatched in Canada, with at least 2,500 native vascular plant species in addition to thousands of lichens, mosses and fungi.

Individuals can help support the soil by planting native plants in pots on their balconies and gardens, Chalifoux said.

“Why would you plant a native plant here? Because the host countries have a relationship with it, or this specific plant is a host plant for a larva, a native butterfly, that just needs to eat this plant to survive,” Chalifoux said.

“The land is being harmed. One way we can help the land is to include native plants.”

Chalifoux said that although things are changing, many municipalities do not have policies in place to ensure that a percentage of native plants be included in city landscaping.

CBC Indigenous asked the City of Vancouver if it has a policy regarding the number of native plants required to be planted in urban planning.

A spokesperson for the City of Vancouver said in a statement that the Vancouver Parks and Recreation Board is working to increase native plants in urban spaces and considers multiple factors in planning, including maintenance, resiliency and canopy cover, and consults with local First Nations.

“A prime example of this is the inclusion of Pacific Yu in the Stanley Park restoration initiative, following feedback from local First Nations,” the statement said.

The city said it has also provided native plants to non-profits and community groups for ecological restoration in Vancouver parks that organize community planting programs.