Preservation of Traditional and Medicinal Plants in Micronesia

View the project final report

Commodities

• Additional Plants: herbs

Practices

• Crop Production: general crop production

Preservation of Traditional and Medicinal Plants of Micronesia has generated public interest within Pohnpei, the FSM, University of Hawaii, School of Pharmacology and the Pacific Basin Agriculture Research Center. All constituents are now aware of the consequence of abuse of resources. People now understand the danger in losing indigenous knowledge without documentation of information. Most names collected during this project were thought to be right but we have found many problems. We also found variations in what part of the tree are identified by certain names. It has provided a target area for future research and potential project funding.

This is the state plan for a previously authorized regional activity. This state plan covers the three nations of the Micronesian region: Palau, Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshal Islands. This proposal has the following objectives:
To preserve and protect the unique biota of the Micronesian islands and in doing, preserve the parts of the culture evolved around these plants.
To assist in the publication of one medicinal and traditional plant book in each of Palau and RMI
To design a landscape plan and create a Traditional and Medicinal Plant Botanical Garden on the grounds of the College of Micronesia-Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Campus
To clearly identify and label all traditional and medicinal plants found in or transplanted to the Botanical Garden
To participate in and assist in the creation of a photographic layout of important traditional and medicinal plants proposed to be held at the University of Guam in FY’06.