I was recently reminded of this ancient African proverb.
I was speaking with a village healer in an almost deserted mountain village in the Peloponnese Region of Greece.
She’s the last person in her community who knows the traditional uses of their local plants.
When she passes, centuries of plant wisdom will vanish with her.
This is more than just a distant problem in far-off lands. It’s happening right now.
In every British village.
In every European town.
Across every American state.
Precious plant knowledge is slipping away like water through our fingers.
Every day another piece of our botanical heritage fades into silence.
Think about it – just two generations ago, most people could identify common medicinal plants.
They knew which wild foods were safe to eat.
This knowledge had been passed down through families for centuries.
Today, most of us walk past these same plants without recognising them. The chain of knowledge has been broken.
Why does this matter?
Because this is about more than just losing interesting historical facts. This is living knowledge that:
- Could help us adapt to climate change
- Provides sustainable, local food sources
- Offers solutions for community health
- Connects us deeply to our landscape and heritage
Every piece of plant wisdom we lose is like tearing a page from humanity’s survival guide.
But there’s hope.
In my 20+ years documenting these vanishing traditions, I’ve discovered something remarkable: when people reconnect with this knowledge, something profound happens.
They begin to see the world differently, feel a deeper connection to their environment, and become part of the solution.
Talk soon,
