Michael Coe

The field of ethnobotany has offered unique opportunities for me to synthesize the study of two of my greatest passions— culture and the use of plants that are intrinsic to the identity of that culture. As a PhD candidate / ethnobotanist, I am committed to helping advance our scientific knowledge of the value and irreplaceability of these important plant species.

Previous Research I conducted in the Peruvian Amazon suggested that certain species of plants are of high cultural value to local healers and therefore irreplaceable. I also became aware of a growing interest in the ethnomedical traditions practiced by local healers and the rise in a global phenomenon associated with ayahuasca tourism. There is no doubt that the influx of tourists that travel to the Amazon each year in search of healing plants will lead to increased harvest pressure or over-harvesting of these culturally irreplaceable medicinal plants.

Therefore, I aim to help increase our awareness of the cultural importance of the vast ethnopharmacopeia employed by cultural groups of the Peruvian Amazon, particularly in regards to their ethnomedical practices and traditional botanical knowledge. Further, I aim to help promote sustainable use of many of these plant species that have gained global interest in the context of healing and/or ethnomedicine.

March 2017