Frontier Chemistry Project

In the wilderness, there are a countless number of plants that can be used for medicinal purposes, but often it can be hard to identify which plants can be used and which ones are not useful. This project helps identify which local plants can be used to treat which ailments, and what habitat these plants can be found in.

• Justify the importance of identifying a plant/root correctly.

Identify which part of the plant to use (root, leaf, etc.) in order to correctly extract the active chemical ingredients needed to treat the ailment.

• Why would it be prudent to know a variety of species from other regions when dealing with natural medicines and food?

Knowing a variety of species ensures that you have knowledge of any possible region that you happen to be in. Only knowing Eastern Deciduous Forest plants could leave you vulnerable if you find yourself in a Tall Grass Prairie environment.

• Would it make a significant difference if you were traveling in different seasons? Why or why not.

The season in which these plants are found in make a difference in what plants are useful and what plants are not because many plants are only alive or active during a certain time period.

• As a scientist, why would it be significant to develop a relationship with local peoples about their plant habitat? 

It is important to be able to interact with local people because they could have some knowledge about the local habitat that can not be found in reading or the internet.

• If you were found without traditional medicines, would you trust your (or a reference texts) knowledge of local flora to treat illness or disease? Why or why not.

I would trust my reference texts because it shows me what active chemical compound is actually helping me rather than blindly filling a prescription without knowing what exactly it is doing to me.