ENVS 2259 Ethnobotany: The Intertwined Lives of Plants and People

Ethnobotany explores the relationships between people and plants, examining how humans use plants for food, medicine, textiles, art, and recreation, and how plants have shaped cultures and ecosystems. In this experiential course, students engage their senses by handling, tasting, smelling, and observing plants while learning their traits and cultural histories. We examine plants as dynamic, responsive organisms with remarkable adaptations and forms of intelligence. The course also considers conservation, restoration, and gardening as responses to linked challenges in plant and human health, particularly in increasingly urban environments. Students will cultivate knowledge, attentive observation, and a sense of stewardship for the plant world.