World Wildlife Day 2026

This year the theme for World Wildlife Day is “Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Conserving Health, Heritage and Livelihoods", so we want to recognize all our amazing native plants in the area that do much more than look good and provide excellent habitat. The Syilx People in the region have and still use many of our native plants for medicine, food, technology and much more. Here are examples of some uses for these plants along with their Nsyilxcen names:

Pearly Everlasting / tsəmtsəmɬk’íxʷ : This plant was used to help with stomach issues and also placed in pillow cases because of its lovely scent.

Kinnikinnick / skʷalsiɬmalx : The berries were eaten and cooked. The leaves were also used to make medicine for skin and stomach problems.

Red-osier dogwood / stkcxʷiɬp : The berries were eaten and mixed with other fruit like chokecherries and saskatoons. The bark was also used for different medicinal uses.

It is important to recognize and respect the cultural importance behind these plants.

Conserving these plants should be a priority, not just for wildlife, but also for the people who have grown besides them since the beginning. Please note that if you are interested in consuming or using these plants for medicinal use, seek out someone with experience who can teach you how to use them properly. And please do extensive research before trying on your own.