The Ktunaxa traditionally occupy a vast area with a similarly vast range of ecosystems, ranging from interior rainforest to semi-desert.  The Ktunaxa language is linguistically distinct, meaning that it is related to none other.  Due to the above factors and many others, the Ktunaxa collectively have a unique relationship with, and knowledge of the plants and ecology of their traditional territory. 

 There is a sense of urgency with the Ktunaxa Ethnobotany Project, as the Elders are rapidly dying and taking with them their knowledge about their culture including the uses of plants. The primary goals of the Ethnobotany Project are to document the traditional uses, Ktunaxa names of all the plants and preferred gathering sites; as well as to produce educational materials to be used by younger generations of Ktunaxa to keep the tradition alive.

 Since the beginning of the colonial era the Ktunaxa have seen great losses to their culture through the residential school system, being forced to give up the seasonal round by the introduction of the Reserve System, disease, drugs and many other forces of cultural change. These forces have led to the loss of the traditional means of passing down culture meaning that the young are generally speaking, no longer learning their language and culture.

The Ethnobotany Project has worked closely with a core group of Elders involved in the Traditional Use Study, usually referred to as the Elders Working Committee. The Working Group meets every 2-3 weeks to discuss the traditional uses of the land and cultural issues. The Project staff also conducts oral history interviews out on the land, which prove to be highly productive.  Another part of the Project is the  herbarium (a dried, pressed plant collection), with over 300 specimens of plants.  The herbarium is a valuable tool for interviews and in the future the plants may be used as voucher specimens to confirm their identity as plant names change.   The information from the interviews as well as the herbarium is all stored in a relational database which is being linked to other databases at the Ktunaxa Kinbasket Tribal Council to be used as a resource management tool.

Activities of the Ethnobotany Project include, as mentioned, oral history interviews, public education such as plant walks, primary, secondary and college level instruction, the production of educational materials as well as economic development research. The project is also involved in providing guidance on resource management issues that affect the quality of plant resources within the Ktunaxa Territory. During 1999, a Ktunaxa Ethnobotany Handbook titled, ?akxamis qapi qapsin – All Living Things was published. This book contains information on 23 cultural plants of the Ktunaxa including English, scientific and Ktunaxa plant names as well as uses and gathering locations. Copies were distributed to all Ktunaxa households in Canada.