Ethnobotany – the study of how people use native plants – is a vital foundation for becoming a well-rounded Naturalist. Here you can explore the plant world in this catch-all class that covers the many uses we humans have for our local, native plants. Vincent Pinto has a Master’s Degree in Ethnobotany over 35 years of experience using native plants across North America and the globe for a variety of purposes.
During an Ethnobotany workshop you will learn how to locate, identify, and use a wide variety of Sky Islands Plants for:
- Food
- Medicine
- Fire-making – without matches!
- First Aid
- Hygiene
- Shelter
- Tools
- Navigation
- Dyes
- Musical Instruments
- Art
- Glues and Adhesives
- …. and much more!
Several Stone-age take-home crafts can serve as a reminder of your new incredible wealth of plant wisdom, if you would like this to be a hands-on class. Truly there is no better way of learning about Nature than actually participating in it! Not only will you discover fascinating information about plants during your Ethnobotany Adventure, but you’ll also explore how ancient people survived and thrived in the southwest during bygone days. Further, many of the plant uses learned in southeast Arizona are applicable across various regions of the U.S. and beyond. You can also choose to enjoy an indoor “Ethnobotany: Useful Plants of the Sky Islands” slide show, showcasing the uses of our native plants.