Dr. Nancy Turner

Biography

Nancy Turner is an Emeritus Professor in Environmental Studies with a rich background in ethnobotany. Her research integrates botany, ecology, anthropology, geography, and linguistics, focusing on traditional knowledge systems and land resource management among Indigenous Peoples, particularly in western Canada. Over the last 50 years, she has collaborated with Indigenous communities and Elders to document and promote traditional knowledge concerning plants, habitats, and Indigenous foods. Nancy's work emphasizes the interplay between plants, animals, narratives, and belief systems, and she has received several recognitions including the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Fellowship in 2015. Her efforts culminated in the coordinated symposium that addressed Indigenous Peoples’ land rights, resulting in an edited volume published by McGill-Queen's University Press. She has authored and edited approximately 30 books and numerous papers and book chapters on ethnobotany and ecological wisdom. Turner has been honored with multiple awards for her contributions, including memberships in the Order of British Columbia and the Order of Canada, as well as honorary degrees from several Canadian universities. Although she is retired, she has a longstanding commitment to education and the preservation of Indigenous knowledge systems.

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