Nancy Turner

Professor Nancy J. Turner is a distinguished ethnobotanist at the University of Victoria, specializing in the intersection of botany, anthropology, linguistics, and environmental policy. With a career spanning decades, she focuses on documenting and revitalizing Indigenous peoples' traditional knowledge of plants, including foods, medicines, and cultural practices.

• Fields of Interest: Ethnobotany, Indigenous Environmental Knowledge, and Policy Integration
• Academic Career: 1991–present in Environmental Studies

Research Focus: Her work emphasizes Indigenous knowledge systems in environmental governance, particularly in British Columbia. She has authored over 120 peer-reviewed publications and multiple influential books, such as Ancient Pathways, Ancestral Knowledge (2014). Her research bridges ecological science with cultural heritage, advocating for Indigenous voices in land-use planning.

Scientific Contributions: Publications reveal trends in traditional plant management, cultural ecology, and sustainable practices. Her 2014 work systematized historical ethnobotanical frameworks, while 2005 studies explored stewardship models and biodiversity conservation.

• Awards: Order of Canada, Order of British Columbia
• Fellow of the Linnean Society of London
• Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
• Multiple honorary degrees

Grants & Collaborations: Her proposed Trudeau project, "Making a Place for Indigenous Environmental Knowledge," highlights her dedication to integrating Indigenous values into legal and governance systems for land rights advocacy.