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Making links
Many modern drugs are still ‘discovered’ from plant and fungi sources that have been known locally for centuries, and it’s important to make that collective knowledge widely available. There was also a genuine pleasure in seeing people discover or rediscover the open spaces and forests around our cities, knowing that they will pass on this pleasure to their families and communities. Two other important partners in the project were Bhaskar
Adhikari and Mark Watson of RBGE, who were able to make the links between plants in Scotland and Nepal. “Nepal is one of our major research areas,” explained Mark, “and RBGE have a long-term commitment to working with our colleagues over there to document their plant biodiversity. Engaging with the UK Nepalese community is part of that work, and we were very pleased to use our knowledge of British and Nepalese plants to help people learn more about the nature around them and make links back to familiar plants in Nepal. “Scientific outreach is an important part of the work of
RBGE,” he continued, “and we have an active programme of educational events and exhibitions. The Nepalese community based in Edinburgh, like many ethnic minority urban communities, don’t often venture out of the city to explore the countryside. We’re keen to engage more with local communities, especially groups that are traditionally hard to reach, and this project was a wonderful opportunity to do that.” The Healing in the Fields and Forests project has now been selected as a case study for the ‘Science for All –
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Going Beyond the Usual Suspects’ initiative. This is being promoted through the UK Government Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, and also involves the Association for Science and Discovery Centres and the British Science Association. A range of case studies will appear on various websites to inspire others to undertake similar schemes. Certainly, the strong response and enthusiasm from the Nepalese community has encouraged Joanna Boyce to look at working with other cultural groups, such as the Edinburgh Bengali community, who might be interested in developing a similar venture. “The Gurkha Association Scotland and the Nepal Scotland Association wanted to design a project that would encourage members of their community, from the oldest to the youngest, to venture out of the city to explore the countryside. They wanted to instill a love of the Scottish outdoors in their children and young people at the same time as making real connections to their Nepalese heritage. “Traditionally, the experience of foraging and sharing food and celebrating within the landscape is part of Nepalese culture. So it was of prime importance to the Nepalese community in Scotland to find a way to continue their native outdoor lifestyle in a local Scottish context. This is especially important for those who have recently arrived in Scotland and may still need to orientate themselves and adapt to the Scottish way of life. This project offers a model for how to bridge cultures.”
The Nature of Scotland
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