There is a lot of talk these days about the melding of Indigenous knowledge with Western Science, and I couldn't think of anyone better to get into the weeds (pun intended) on the subject with than Leigh Joseph.

Leigh is a member of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) and a working ethnobotanist who does a lot of incredible work bridging the gaps in understanding between western and indigenous knowledge, while also working to re-establish Indigenous food gardens and cultivate crops as they would have been prior to colonization on her traditional homelands.  She’s the owner of Skwalwen Botanicals, a skincare brand that creates everything from plants cultivated from the land, the author of a new book called ‘Held By the Land’, and she’s just an overall lovely and inspiring human with who has a lot of great ideas and perspectives on the world I think we all could benefit from learning.

I had the incredible honour of sitting down by the Squamish Estuary on a hot, sunny, summer day to chat about all this and more with Leigh, and I hope y'all enjoy it!

Learn more about Leigh & her work.

Take care of your skin with Skwalwen Botanicals.

Get your copy of "Held by The Land"

Each episode of Nerdy About Nature makes a donation to a non-profit of the guests choosing using funds from Patreon supporters, and in this episode Leigh chose to give hers to The PEPAKEṈ HÁUTW̱  Foundation

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