Plants and Planting for the Future

This Symposium is distinguished by a noteworthy, transformational process, whereby specific language has provided a context/ rationale for each presentation that is visionary, modern and important! Here is some background, to illustrate what I mean by this statement. About 40 years ago, UWI had a ‘Faculty of Pure and Applied Science, I was astonished at this name! I could understand ‘applied’ as practical science but what was “pure”?  To me, this word reflected a bias towards an interpretation of pure as a kind of science (perhaps ‘academic’) that was actually better than applied.  Ironically, this word ‘pure’ was also mentioned by Annalee Davis in her presentation today, with respect to attitudes relating to the purity of the white race and colonialism. The name has subsequently been changed to the ‘Faculty of Science and Technology’ which, in my opinion, also reflects a distinct bias. Here we recall that “Scientists are People too!”. The words we use reflect our personalities, interests, approaches and philosophies. The words used during this Symposium such as “Biocultural” and “Ethnobotany” provide a context and rationale for scientific research that differs from “old-fashioned science”. Emphasis has shifted from ‘Agri’ which is focussed on farming to “Bio” which includes all life sciences and processes. From Botany alone to “Ethno-Botany”, which is interpreted within the context of ethnicity, history, traditional knowledge and spirituality.

During the welcome address, we heard Dr David Bynoe (who’s background is in agriculture and governance) emphasise the importance of the link between plants and sustainability. We heard Professor Leonard O’Garro (whose background is in science and food security) talk about politics and the balance of power that is related to plants and their commercial uses.

During the sessions at this symposium, we also heard from presenters who all practice a holistic approach that embraces, not only scientific research but, the arts, spirituality, design (tools and utensils), politics, history, healing traditions (apothecaries of resistance) and resilience to reducing vulnerability to global forces. Additionally, management techniques related to urban and rural gardening, green tourism, environmental stewardship, biodiversity and the green economy. We heard world-class scientists describe their research on: healing powers, nutritional value, gene editing, cosmetic uses, recreational uses, world heritage value, biomass value and impacts of plants on reducing the effects of climate change.

We can find the abstracts in the Brochure, which we can share far and wide. We heard from Dr John de la Parra about a major shift in thinking about the Periodic Table, from emphasis on inert elements of commercial value, particularly those derived from non-renewable resources such as lead, copper, and gold to thinking about the Periodic Table of biochemicals primarily associated with nutrient values of renewable, life-giving plants and we heard from John Hunte and Mark Byer about, urban gardening, the increasing practice of backyard gardening; and green spaces. As such, this symposium has covered many topics relating to plants and planting for the future. Not only planting plants, but planting creative and innovative concepts, ideas, approaches and philosophies upon the platform of scientific research, and management of the challenges that we all face.

Thank you very much to Dr Peter and your team for organising this excellent Symposium despite the additional challenges imposed by the plague of COVID-19 and the wrath of the volcano (Vulcan)!