BERRY PICKING? LET US KNOW HOW IT WENT!
Take part in our Askîy Berry Health Community Monitoring Program by filling out our form after you return from berry picking. Whether it was a bountiful harvest or not, we want to hear about your experience!
To show our appreciation, we’ll be running a draw for Citizens who submit forms between July 1 and October 31. In November, we’ll draw a winner and send them a gift card as a token of our appreciation.
WHAT IS THE BERRY HEALTH COMMUNITY MONITOR PROGRAM?
Berries aren’t just delicious: they’re a part of our stories, medicine, and connection to the land, friends, and family. Métis Citizens across Alberta have noticed changes in abundance, timing, and health of berry plants. To better understand these changes in our environment, we invite you to share your berry picking experiences in the wild. Whether you’re on a dedicated berry picking trip with family or casually picking during a walk through the woods, we want to know how it went!
Your observations will help us better understand what environmental and climate pressures might be affecting the health of the berry species that we love. Additionally, by sharing your insights, you can help shape ongoing monitoring and learning opportunities.
Thank you to everyone who participated and shared their experiences and photographs last year!
Project Highlights
- In 2024, 56% of Citizens who submitted forms reported getting “enough” berries for their personal needs. This is a decline from 64% in 2023, which may indicate that environmental changes could be making it more difficult for Citizens to meet their needs.
- Of those who did not have a successful harvest (52 responses), the top five reasons given were:
- No berries (28.9%)
- Few berries (25.0%)
- Small berries (15.4%)
- Dry berries (13.5%)
- Insufficient time to harvest (9.6%)
