Dr. Faisal Moola, a professor in the Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics, spoke to The Globe and Mail about the drought and high temperatures in northern Ontario that have caused a shortage of wild blueberries.

Moola said the consequences of the shortage are serious because blueberries are a key source of food for as many as 50 species of mammals and birds. They are a critical food source for Indigenous communities as well because they’re free and accessible.

Moola is an ecologist who studies the ethnoecology of plants, environmental policy and Indigenous-led conservation in Canada.