In this presentation, KU researcher Kahheetah Barnoskie shares her journey in ethnobotany research through her U.S. Forest Service ORISE Fellowship project, "People, Plants, and Pollinators." As a member of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, Kahheetah brings both academic and community perspectives to her work connecting tribal knowledge with prairie restoration and pollinator conservation. Her presentation highlights efforts to incorporate culturally significant plants into restoration projects through workshops, data collection, and collaboration among Indigenous communities, government agencies, and researchers. She also discusses the ethical considerations of using historical ethnobotanical data, the importance of Indigenous-led research, and how local and traditional knowledge can inform broader ecological and restoration goals. Drawing on her experiences with the tribal and community projects, Kahheetah emphasizes the value of collaboration, reciprocity, and respect when working with Indigenous plant knowledge to create more meaningful and sustainable restoration practices.
 

The full title of the talk is "From database to dialogue: Supporting Indigenous ethnobotanical knowledge."
 

This talk is part of the Friday Ecology Seminars series hosted by the Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research. This hybrid seminar will begin at 12:15 p.m. in room 152 Smissman Labs (next door to Takeru Higuchi Hall, 2101 Constant Ave.) on KU’s west campus. Doors open at 12:05. 

During the fall 2025 semester, talks will be hybrid and broadcast via Zoom. Most talks also will be recorded for our YouTube channel. If you’re on Zoom, you may join beginning at 12:05 p.m.

See complete information on the seminars and our full schedule on our website. Join the email list for Friday seminars. 

To attend via Zoom:
https://kansas.zoom.us/j/83347644887

Passcode: 415139