Traditional knowledge and the conservation of medicinal flora in the indigenous community of Santa Catarina, B.C., Mexico

Abstract

Traditional knowledge (TC) integrates local and cultural wealth shared by the members of a community. It includes information regarding beliefs, value systems, respect and care for the environment, as well as the knowledge and management of native flora and especially the use of medicinal plants following the same trend of the indigenous cultures of Latin America, resulting in a viable resource for management. Under this premise, the objective of this work was to know, collect and analyze the TC on the medicinal flora of the indigenous community of Santa Catarina, B. C., Mexico and propose guidelines for its management. A record of 36 plant species for medicinal use in a Mediterranean-type ecosystem was obtained, and the ailments for which medicinal plants are used were also identified, as well as the parts of the plant and their form of use. It is concluded that the integration of the TC of medicinal plants into government management plans represents an option for the conservation of natural resources in ecosystems, in which the pressure of agricultural and livestock use constitutes a serious threat to the conservation of plant communities.