Summary of Activities:

1. ?akxamis qapi qapsin - All Living Things was published on February 15, 1999, this is the first Ktunaxa licensed ethnobotany book. It was designed to be a compact and easily accessible field guide for Ktunaxa readers.  Names were given in Ktunaxa, English and Latin at the top of each description but throughout the text only Ktunaxa names were used in order to promote the usage of the language amongst the citizens.

2. The herbarium has over 300 plant specimens now that are prepared to herbarium standards.  In the next field season it is hoped to grow by over 50 plants.  This collection is essential in that it provides voucher specimens for the future and it is an essential tool for interviews, as well as for public education.

3. The 2000 Traditional Territory Trek is now in its early planning stages.  During the last two years the Ethnobotany Staff played an essential role in interpretation of the plant resources to the citizens during the planed field activities held throughout Ktunaxa Territory.

4. On May 23 and 24, 2000 the Ktunaxa Kinbasket Treaty Council, the Southern Interior Forest Extension Research Partnership and possibly other organizations are teaming up to hold a workshop on non-timber forest products.  Non-timber forest products include everything from the forest but the timber, this industry is apparently on the rapid rise.  Concern of the Ktunaxa includes losing traditional berry grounds for people and wildlife to commercial interests, the overexploitation of medicinal plants and related concerns.  This meeting will address these concerns and hopefully provide direction to policy makers and researchers for a possible code of conduct for harvesters.

For more information please contact 
Michael Keefer or Pete McCoy at:
ph. (250) 489-2464 (ext. 234) or 
email at mkeefer@cyberlink.bc.ca