HERB-0402 - Ecology and Ethnobotany of Rio Grande Bosque Medicinal Plants
A Field and Classroom Course in the Ecological Relationships, Traditional Uses, and Ethical Harvesting of the Bosque’s Healing Flora
This course is a dynamic exploration of the living medicinal landscape of the Rio Grande Bosque, New Mexico’s riparian corridor of cottonwood, willow, and desert-wetland plant life. Through guided walks, hands-on identification, and immersive storytelling, students will explore the cultural, ecological, and therapeutic significance of over 60 medicinal plant species, including both native and naturalized allies. Emphasis is placed on bioregional herbalism, place-based medicine-making, and the sacred responsibility of ethical foraging and land stewardship. With the Rio Grande as teacher and witness, students will encounter a wide array of plant species traditionally used for digestion, inflammation, wound care, emotional support, respiratory health, lymphatic flow, pain, and ritual.