Arqus Verde webinar series – session 2: Ethnobotany in the botanical gardens

On 28 April at 10:00 CEST, the second session of the Arqus Verde webinar series will take place, featuring Professor Guillermo Benítez from the University of Granada. The session will focus on the role of ethnobotany in botanical gardens and its potential to strengthen environmental awareness, outreach and education activities.

Entitled “Ethnobotany in the botanical gardens”, the webinar will explore how the historical relationship between humans and plants can help visitors connect cultivated species with their own cultural traditions, as well as with those of other societies. In many cases, these links are distinctive and unique, making ethnobotany an especially engaging topic for diverse audiences.

Professor Benítez will explain how ethnobotanical perspectives can also open the door to other important areas of work in botanical gardens, including special collections, germplasm banks and plant conservation initiatives. The session will also provide an opportunity to learn more about the experience of the Botanical Garden of the University of Granada.

As the science that studies the historical relationship between humans and plants, ethnobotany offers valuable tools for botanical gardens seeking to develop meaningful public engagement activities. By linking plants to culture, memory and everyday life, it helps make environmental education more accessible and relevant.

This webinar is the second session in the Arqus Verde series, following the first event held on 4 March 2026. Through these sessions, Arqus aims to foster dialogue on sustainability, biodiversity and environmental practices across the Alliance.

Upcoming webinars

The other webinars in this Arqus Green series will be held on the following dates (the times are still to be confirmed):

• Climate change and species conservation: Scenarios for collections and reintroductions – University of Graz – 26.05.2026
• From seed to reintroduction: Ex situ best practices for threatened plant species – University of Wrocław – date TBC
• Linking in situ and ex situ: Cooperation between botanical gardens and Natura 2000 – 16.06.2026

Contact arqus-verde@arqus-alliance.eu for any further information.