Building Ethical Pathways for Ethnobotanical Conservation of flora and fungi

Economic botany has globally been a major driving force for cultural interaction for centuries, in some cases, millennia. As a consequence, many plant and fungi species have travelled the globe, often disrupting traditional economies with unforeseen and, in some cases, dire circumstances. In some cases, unintentional travel companions have caused further problems or gone unnoticed, only to later be mistaken for being native.

Ethnobotany, as a discipline, in this context, is a relative newcomer, as are ideas around conservation and biosecurity.  Many projects seek to empower traditional knowledge through species ecology, chemical profiling, or genome analysis. Other projects are actively helping restore lost habitat and record a rapidly disappearing narrative around traditional plant use, while also being respectful to traditional groups.  

How can we, a somewhat isolated community, help contribute to global efforts in ethnobotanical conservation while also being respectful of Nagoya and cultural boundaries? How can we also do this at home while also keeping in mind some legal constraints?

Facilitated by Alex Gearin