UNDERSTANDING TRADITIONS AND PRACTICES OF MEDICINAL PLANT USE IN CARHUAMAYO, JUNIN, PERU

Understanding and preserving Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Practices (TEKP) are essential for the continued resilience and cultural diversity of humanity. TEKP faces a multitude of threats from habitat loss, growth of the market economy, globalization, and acculturation. Medicinal plant use in the high Andean town of Carhuamayo, Junín, was studied to assess the vibrancy of that particular branch of TEKP in that area, in what parts of the population it was held, and what factors influence its loss or growth. Gender, age, migrant status, and acculturation levels were not found to be statistically significant in predicting medicinal plant knowledge. Analysis through a livelihoods lens further demonstrated that gender was not a significant determinant of medicinal plant knowledge and those whose livings depend on natural resource use may be more knowledgeable. The uniformity of ethnobotanical knowledge in Carhuamayo was attributed to the unified nature of the community through many organized groups and widespread sharing of knowledge. The uniformity of medicinal plant knowledge may also reflect the loss of TEKP over many generations. Factors that may have resulted in the erosion of local TEKP could be historical colonial forces and terrorism, migration, application of agrochemicals, pollution from mining and other sources devastating biodiversity, and climate change

January 16: Sustainability at UM

This lecture panel included the following presenters. Presentation slides are linked at the bottom of this record. University of Montana Environmental Studies: Vicki Watson (introductory remarks and moderator) UM Sustainability Office: Eva Rocke, Derek Kanwischer, and Maddy Jones ASUM Transportation: Dan Gundlach UM Dining: Stasia Orkwiszewski UM Facilities Services: Green Buildings by Jameel Chaudhry; Energy Efficiency Efforts by Brian Kerns (Brian\u27s presentation was given the following week on January 23