Center for European Studies

Richard W. Tate, CES FLAS recipient in Russian and Georgian, is a graduate student in Interdisciplinary Ecology, in the UF School of Natural Resources and Environment.

This multi-faceted ethnobotanical research project examines contemporary plant use patterns in the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, a region in southwestern Georgia. Adjara’s complex history and rich flora has woven an intricate tapestry of biological and cultural influences.  Ethnobotany, a field aptly described as a crossroads of botany and anthropology, draws from an interdisciplinary methodological toolbox that makes it especially suited to examining the complex interactions of humans and the environment. This approach has unique potential in the South Caucasus, an area that boasts an amazing wealth of sociolinguistic groups, unique biota, and a vibrant tradition of wild plant use. This presentation will offer preliminary findings and perspectives gathered from dozens of interviews with local peoples. In exploring the ethnobotanical knowledge of Adjara, we will touch upon topics as varied as conservation, religious identity, economics, and linguistics.

This research supported by the American Research Institute of the South Caucasus (ARISC) and UF’s Center for European Studies.