Prereq.: Two college-level courses in biology, or Biology 171 and one other natural science course, or permission of instructor.
Ethnobotany is the direct cultural use of plants by people. Ethnobotany is an integrated course utilizing an ecological framework to explore the botany, mycology, anthropology, natural resource management, history, linguistics, and American Indian studies of the human-plant relationships. This course provides an intensive Northern Michigan field botany/mycology experience, followed by an applied ecology laboratory experience to test the constraints and opportunities of specific plants and fungi. Lectures explore the cultural use of plants from a local to global perspective, with a focus on Great Lakes American Indian perspective. Students will learn to identify, classify, harvest, and culturally process many of the Northern Michigan plants utilized for food, medicines, crafts, cordage, firewood, teas, smudging/smoking, and ceremonies during pre- and post- European-American contact. Local American Indian cultural experts will provide several guest lectures and/or applied workshops.