Historical Ecology of Cultural Landscapes in the Pacific Northwest
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Historical Ecology of Cultural Landscapes in the Pacific Northwest By Chelsey Geralda Armstrong M.A. Western University (2013) B.A. Hons, Simon Fraser University (2011) Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Archaeology Faculty of Environment Chelsey Geralda Armstrong 2017 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Summer 2017 Approval Name: Chelsey Geralda Armstrong Degree: Doctor of Philosophy Title: Historical Ecology of Cultural Landscapes in the Pacific Northwest Examining Committee: Chair: Michael Richards Professor Dana Lepofsky Senior Supervisor Professor Nancy J. Turner Supervisor Professor Leslie Main Johnson Supervisor Professor Jon Driver Internal Examiner Professor Kristen Gremillion External Examiner Professor Department of Anthropology Ohio State University Date Defended/Approved: June 8, 2017 ii Ethics Statement iii Abstract Historical ecology is a research program dedicated to uncovering the complex interactions between humans, their lived landscapes, and the repercussions of those relationships on contemporary social-ecological ecosystems. Cultural landscapes can exhibit multifaceted and complex elements that require a creative and novel scientific approach to be understood. A historical-ecological approach iteratively fuses scientific methods in archaeology, biology, paleoecology, and environmental history, with Indigenous research methodologies. Using the Pacific Northwest as a focus, this dissertation addresses the applicative future of historical-ecological research. Four interrelated research contributions are compiled to represent both the broad theoretical applications of historical ecology in a global context, as well as more regionally focused and explicit methodological contributions. In two papers, results from a consensus-driven, priority-setting exercise and literature review, suggest that the future of historical ecology will have implications for policy, stewardship, and decolonizing attitudes towards resource management and climate change research. In a third paper, ethnographic interviews are used to navigate a nexus of federated knowledge surrounding the management of perennial species like hazelnut (Corylus cornuta) and Pacific crabapple (Malus fusca) in British Columbia (BC). This work shows that, while the legacy of colonialism has disorganizing effects on Indigenous communities, Indigenous people have distinct traditional ecological knowledge relating to the management of their ancestral homelands. The fourth paper builds on this work by applying a functional ecological approach to analyze anthropogenic forests from archaeological village sites in BC. This analysis illustrates how Indigenous land-use legacies lead to distinct biodiverse ecosystem functions and services. The wide range of co-authors from various fields, institutions, and Indigenous communities in all these papers exemplifies the multidisciplinary and versatile nature of the historical-ecological approach. This dissertation shows that environmental research requires the equitable consilience of multiple voices and disciplines for a future that is socially and environmentally just. Keywords: cultural landscape; environmental archaeology; ethnoecology; functional ecology; historical ecology; traditional management iv Dedication To all those without voices, without feet or Lords the tendrils around my heart are tender and tended by your heartwood you keep me warm and curious through every cell, hell-bound without you at once a cleared field thence kernels become trees to fill a void fulfill a purpose tiny cotyledons break through the earth, breaking layers of lives lived in place your handmaidens are the ancestors whose names are stored in rocks and wallows winds roll, I pull you in for sweet smells then earth swells and breaks but peat moss protects our landing so we colonize you once again to you I dedicate my words and my praise to you I dedicate grandmothers seven teachings, your seeds are stores of kindness and resistance your persistence a constant reminder of movement and compassion. v Acknowledgements I acknowledge every one of you who has helped me along the way and will continue to teach me the Mino-Bimaadiziwin. To all the Elders, community members and Nations who allowed me to work and study on their territories — I thank you. Because of you all, I will seek to tread lightly, humbly, respectfully, and playfully in all my work. To my dream team of strong, powerful, and nurturing women: Dana Lepofsky, Nancy Turner, and Leslie Main Johnson. You have all acted as mothers, mentors, sisters, aunties, and friends. I cannot wait to continue working and exploring this beautiful and wild world together. To my archaeo/ethnobio mentors and colleagues extraordinaire: Alex McAlvay, Anna Shoemaker, Travis Freeland, Carole Crumley, Kevin Gibbons, John Welch, Natasha Lyons, Bob Muir, Steve Wolverton, Gene Anderson, Cissy Fowler, Denise Glover, Ginevra Toniello, Frankie Berna, Farid Rahemtulla, Dave Burley, Antonia Rodrigues, and Dongya Yang To all those who helped with the fieldwork that made this dissertation possible, thank you for exploring ravenous rivers and frolicking in friendly forests with me: Carly Nabess, Allan Bolton, Millie Morgan, Lydia Howard, Carmen Howard, Christina Stanley, Brenda Guernsey, Ken Downs, Raven Bingham, Ken Lertzman, Kaitlin Singh, Jerram Ritchie, Morgan Ritchie, and Tony McLean. To my peoples: Mom and Dad you’ve supported my through it all. I love and admire you both so much. Uncle Alex, Auntie Lil, Aunt Gina, Auntie Mary-Lee, Jules Armstrong, Joe Runnalls, all my 42 cousins in fact, Andrew Heneghan, Megan Cassidy, Tracy Giesz-Ramsay, Morgan Bartlett, Evan Hardy, Phillip Blundon, Rena-Marisa-Megs, Riley and Kass, and Sean P (duh), — I thank you all for your support and friendship. vi Table of Contents Approval .............................................................................................................................ii Ethics Statement ............................................................................................................... iii Abstract .............................................................................................................................iv Dedication ......................................................................................................................... v Acknowledgements ...........................................................................................................vi Table of Contents ............................................................................................................. vii List of Figures....................................................................................................................ix Chapter 1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 1 1.1. The Political Landscape ........................................................................................... 4 1.2. The Archaeological Landscape ................................................................................ 5 1.3. The Scientific Landscape ......................................................................................... 7 1.4. The Peopled Landscape .......................................................................................... 8 1.5. Concluding Thoughts ............................................................................................. 10 Chapter 2. Historical Ecology and Ethnobiology: Applied Research for Environmental Conservation and Social Justice ................................. 12 2.1. Abstract .................................................................................................................. 12 2.2. Historical Ecology Research Program .................................................................... 12 Chapter 3. Anthropological Contributions to Historical Ecology: 50 Questions, Infinite Prospects ................................................................ 16 3.1. Abstract .................................................................................................................. 16 3.2. Introduction ............................................................................................................ 17 3.3. Methods ................................................................................................................. 18 3.4. Limitations .............................................................................................................. 22 3.5. Results ................................................................................................................... 23 3.5.1. Climate and environmental change and variability.................................... 24 3.5.2. Multi-scalar, multidisciplinary .................................................................... 25 3.5.3. Biodiversity and community ecology ......................................................... 28 3.5.4. Resource and environmental management and governance ................... 33 3.5.5. Methods and applications ......................................................................... 36 3.5.6. Communication and policy ........................................................................ 39 3.6. Discussion .............................................................................................................. 41 3.6.1. Traditional and local knowledge ...............................................................