Locality: Bhutan (27.332740, 90.439450)

Abstract: The eastern Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan is characterized as having a marked variation in altitude, ranging from the high Himalayan Mountains in the north to sub-tropical lowland areas in the south. The natural forests, which are rich in diversity and cover 72% of the country, provide wood and edible wild plants to the people. The practice of sustainable use of these forests as a renewable natural resource based on Buddhist ethics of sustainability has long been practices in the area. This has meant that people in the region have become dependent on forests for their basic needs, such as wood, fuelwood, and food, and have developed a close association with nature. This is particularly true for the inhabitants of mountainous areas where sustainable use of forests in the form of traditional knowledge of medicinal use and belief in the curative effects of edible wild plants on human health are still an intrinsic component of life and culture. Traditional knowledge of the applications of indigenous wild plants on human health is a core component of the future of sustainable development in Bhutan. This checklist presents data from surveys (2005-2007) of the use of edible wild plants and records the traditional knowledge and beliefs associated with their use and their effects on human health. This resource can be used as a reference for research in the future and thus contributes to the sustainable development and conservation of natural resources in Bhutan.

Reference: K. Matsushima, M. Minami, K. Nemoto, N.K. Pradhan, L. Thapa, and D. Delma. 2008. Edible Wild Plants of Bhutan and their Associated Traditional Knowledge. Council for RNR Research in Bhutan, Ministry of Agriculture, Royal Government of Bhutan. Thimphu, Bhutan. 130 p.

Notes: Project supported by the United States Fulbright Scholar Program, Washington, D.C. (2017). The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government.