Earth & Co.

To the average person, a city park is likely viewed as merely an urban green space for recreation and leisure, and a boulevard or alleyway simply as a thoroughfare. But to Métis herbalist and educator Lori Snyder, she sees wild food and medicinal landscapes.

Lori grew up in Squamish where inspiration developed from an early age, taking forest walks with her next-door neighbour, eating berries off the branches, and being taught about plants. "I didn't have a connection to my Métis background until I got older," admits Lori. "I knew I was supposed to share what I love because I've been studying it all my life – plant medicine, aromatherapy, herbalism, wild foods and researching indigenous foods, and I recognized it was a way for me to start reconnecting to my traditions."

Lori shares her knowledge with people by providing an interactive urban foraging experience around Metro Vancouver through Earth Awareness Realized Through Health (a.k.a. Earth & Co.), her business she established in July 2013.  She brings a First Nations' perspective into her walks and talks to identify edible and medicinal indigenous plants, as well as harvest times. "I'm bringing in this indigenous point of view to help us remember our responsibility, our stewardship, the reciprocity that happens with the plant kingdom," says Lori.