California Native Plant Foods Celebration and Symposium
UC Davis Conference Center
550 Alumni Ln, Davis, CA 95616
The Strength of Our State's Native Plants
California's Native plants are more than just a resource; they are our living link between culture, health, and the land. For millennia, Indigenous peoples have stewarded hundreds of these plants for food, medicine, and fiber, cultivating a vast, biodiverse ecosystem. Today, Native practitioners continue to gather, prepare, and share these foods, keeping traditions alive and landscapes resilient. Yet while these practices endure, Native foods are still largely absent from mainstream food systems—making it all the more vital to recognize and support the knowledge keepers who sustain them.
This event is our direct response. We invite you to a one-day gathering that celebrates the profound connection between these foods and the health of our communities.
Building a New Standard of Practice
This symposium commits to ethical protocols that honor Indigenous food sovereignty and self-determination. We strive to build trust between academic and Tribal communities, strengthening partnerships founded on mutual respect and dignity
A gathering hosted by the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences in collaboration with key partners across the university and wider community, including the Native American Affairs Initiative, Departments of Native American Studies and Nutrition, and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, with guidance from Tribal community representatives.
Who Should Attend
This event is for anyone committed to learning, collaborating, and building a more ethical future rooted in our Native foodways. We welcome participants from across all disciplines who are interested in this work. This includes:
Tribal leaders and traditional knowledge holders
Academic researchers across disciplines
Government agency representatives
Food system practitioners and entrepreneurs
Students and community members
Everyone is welcome here. We believe that by working together, we can revitalize cultures, heal our communities, and restore the land for generations to come.
Sponsors
Your contributions will help us create a truly accessible and inclusive event for the entire community–helping us to minimize registration fees and honor the invaluable work of Indigenous knowledge holders, Native artists and chefs, and student participants.
UC Davis Land Acknowledgement
We should take a moment to acknowledge the land on which we are gathered. For thousands of years, this land has been the home of Patwin people. Today, there are three federally recognized Patwin tribes: Cachil DeHe Band of Wintun Indians of the Colusa Indian Community, Kletsel Dehe Wintun Nation, and Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation.
The Patwin people have remained committed to the stewardship of this land over many centuries. It has been cherished and protected, as elders have instructed the young through generations. We are honored and grateful to be here today on their traditional lands.
