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Indigenous and Local Knowledge

Local knowledge is important and valuable.  As many traditional and indigenous cultures are being eroded, it is important that they are recorded and/or promoted within the communities, so the knowledge is not lost.  This knowledge can be an important means of helping research into useful plants, and to understand plant properties and cultivation, and to help local communities to improve their well-being through the use plants. 

Botanic gardens can help to record and maintain traditions and knowledge of plant use.  They can also help use traditional knowledge to inform equitable conservation and research into useful plants.  Education and outreach focused on indigenous and local knowledge can also help gardens to connect with their local communities, and to encourage the conservation of local knowledge and traditions related to plants.

• Conserving ethnobotany and indigenous knowledge in Paraná, Argentina
  Juan de Dios Muñoz (Paraná, Argentina) 2nd World Botanic Garden Congress, Barcelona, Spain – April 2004
• Zulu Healer Muthi Gardens: Inspiration for Botanic Garden Displays and Community Outreach Projects
• The Garden Route Botanical Garden in George, South Africa
• Protection and sustainable use of the plant resources of the Tam dao National Park, Vietnam
• Traditional Methods of Conserving Medicinal Plants in Zimbabwe

Botanic Gardens: Using Biodiversity to Improve Human Well-being

A report has been launched by BGCI on the role of botanic gardens in using plant diversity to improve human well-being. It features case studies from botanic gardens around the world and is available to all in PDF format.

Read more...