Nancy Turner

Nancy Turner is internationally known for her work in ethnobotany, the study of plants and cultures. She is a Distinguished Professor Emerita in the School of Environmental Studies at the University of Victoria, and holds honorarydegrees from Vancouver Island University, University of Northern British Columbia and Simon Fraser University and a doctorate from the University of British Columbia. Turner has published over 20 books, and dozens of scholarly papers and popular articles. For many years Nancy Turner has worked closely with Indigenous Elders, her teachers, collaborators and friends, to record their knowledge and understanding of plants, ecology and traditional stewardship practices. Working closely with many First Nations, she has helped develop and support programs for retaining, enhancing and promoting the rich heritage of traditional botanical knowledge within communities. Her work with the Haida spans almost 50 years and reflects an intimate respect for their traditional ecological knowledge and the uses and importance of plants on Haida Gwaii. She lives in Nanaimo, BC.