These Canadian Villages Were Abandoned 150 Years Ago — What Still Grows There Is Unbelievable

Ancient Canada reveals a remarkable discovery in British Columbia: forest gardens still growing at Indigenous village sites more than a century after the communities that tended them were forced to leave. Researchers studying old village sites found something strange growing among the surrounding conifer forests — Pacific crabapple, hazelnut, wild cherry, berries, edible roots and other useful plants appearing together in combinations that do not normally occur naturally. In one northern BC canyon, the oldest measured crabapple was around 108 years old, while the oldest surrounding conifer was only about 81. A research team working with four First Nations studied 12 forest gardens across British Columbia. Some covered only a small patch of ground, while the largest stretched across roughly a square kilometre. These were associated with old village sites that had been occupied for generations before disease, colonial settlement and forced displacement transformed the communities during the 1800s. The gardens contained more plant species than the surrounding forest and were packed with culturally important foods and medicines, including crabapple, hazelnut, wild plum, cranberry, Saskatoon berry, soapberry and edible root plants. Some species were even growing outside their normal natural ranges, strong evidence that people had deliberately moved and cultivated them. Even after roughly 150 years without regular tending, many of these gardens still resist being swallowed by the surrounding conifer forest. Researchers found evidence of long-term management through planting, pruning, fertilisation and controlled burning — practices that helped create ecosystems capable of surviving long after their gardeners were gone. In this video, we explore how scientists proved these unusual forests were actually ancient gardens, why they survived for generations without regular care, and how living plants are now providing evidence of Indigenous land management stretching back well before modern settlement. #AncientCanada #CanadaHistory #IndigenousHistory #BritishColumbia #Archaeology ⚠️ Some visuals are illustrative. Certain materials may be used under Fair Use for commentary and educational purposes.