Huckleberries are an important cultural food, but commercial picking is causing problems for Pacific Northwest tribes

From jams and ice cream to syrups and lotions, huckleberries are a fruit that can be found in all sorts of Pacific Northwest commodities. But these berries are incredibly difficult to grow, preferring high elevations and acidic soil, making them hard to cultivate.

The U.S. Forest Service issues permits to commercially pick these berries, selling more than 900 permits last season. For tribes in the Pacific Northwest, these berries are a culturally important food that they say has become scarce over the years with growing competition from pickers, which they argue infringe on treaty rights.
Josephine Woolington is a freelance journalist and author based in Portland who reported on this issue for High Country News. Elaine Harvey is a Ḱamíłpa band member, one of the 14 tribes and bands that comprise the Yakama Nation, and was featured in the story. They both join us to share more on the commercialization of huckleberries.