Changes in wild berry species are increasingly being reported across North America, tied to climate change and associated environmental changes. This is likely to affect the people and animals who use wild berries. In this context, we examined the status of wild berries in a subarctic area of northern Canada (the Gwich’in Settlement Area, Northwest Territories, Canada), between 1989 and 2024, through new and archive interviews with Gwich’in berry pickers. Results from these interviews showed high interannual variability in productivity and lower berry yields in years of hot and dry weather conditions. Knowledge holders identified climate change, overharvesting and improper harvesting, and local development as threats. Declines in the health of the land and the loss of traditional harvesting practices were also described. Changes in animal habits in relation to berries were not reported, but people’s relationships with berries do appear to be changing, reflecting settlement in communities, loss of traditional practices, cost of transportation, and shifts in berry productivity. In spite of these changes, knowledge holders felt that berry picking is an important activity for community members to engage in, permitting ongoing connection with the land, increased food security, and improved health.
Singer et al. (Mon,) studied this question.