Last updated: September 2024
The first medicinal plant library in Martinique was created by the Ypiranga Martinique association, which inaugurated the project in 2019. The initiative was developed to preserve and revitalize traditional knowledge of medicinal plants in Martinique, integrating agroecology , modern scientific understanding, and ancestral practices. The project is located on land provided by the municipality in the Tivoli neighborhood, and it serves as an educational resource, a functional pharmacy, and includes a small shared vegetables garden. Visitors, local residents, and researchers can access information on over 150 native Caribbean plants and their medicinal properties. The site includes two educational trails: one following the river that crosses the garden and a sensory trail designed to help visitors "reconnect with nature." Each plant is identified with information boards detailing its medicinal uses, including whether these uses are scientifically validated. The project also aims to address social exclusion by offering reintegration workshops to troubled teenagers and the unemployed. The project was financed through a combination of sources: an EU-funded call for projects, a crowdfunding campaign, and regional and national public subsidies. As a result of its success, in 2021 the initiative was formally replicated with the support of the Caribbean Interreg "OSAIN" project, which led to the creation of 14 additional plant libraries in schools and public spaces. Volunteers and community-based efforts continue to sustain the project, and it has become a model for similar initiatives. (Ref. 1,2,4,5,6,7)
On the educational trail
Screenshot taken from "RAPPORT D’ACTIVITÉ 2023", downloaded via: https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=9623c881e6f2de5aJmltdHM9MTcyNDgwMzIwMCZpZ3VpZD0yMGI3ZTUwMi00NjMyLTYxNTUtMjc4Ny1mNmE3NDc5YjYwZDMmaW5zaWQ9NTE5Nw&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=3&fclid=20b7e502-4632-6155-2787-f6a7479b60d3&psq=rapport+d%e2%80%99activit%c3%a9+2023+ypiranga+martinique&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cueXBpcmFuZ2FtYXJ0aW5pcXVlLmZyL2FjdHVhbGl0JUMzJUE5cw&ntb=1
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Community gardens and allotments
- Community gardens
- Other
Key challenges
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
- Preservation of natural heritage
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Social cohesion
- Social justice and equity
- Environmental education
- Sense of community and community engagement
- Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
- Sustainable production
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Climate-Related Hazards
- Extreme weather events (e.g. storms, hurricanes)
- Environmental Degradation
- Biodiversity loss
- Land use and Socio-economic change
- Limited economic opportunities and local livelihoods
- Rapid urbanization
- Unequal availability and access to public green spaces
- Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
- Physical health harm (from pollution, wildfire, extreme temperature)
- Disconnection from nature
- Loss of sense of place and identity
- Social fragmentation and isolation
- Poor community engagement
Key priorities
Social Justice and community
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Creation of any other green urban spaces, Knowledge creation and awareness raising, Indigenous and community-based conservation initiatives, Educational and awareness raising programs, Scientific research of biodiversity or ecosystems
Project objectives
1. To establish a medicinal garden featuring native Caribbean plants with medicinal properties, grouped by therapeutic indications (e.g. dermatological, gastrointestinal, nervous, cardio-circulatory, respiratory, etc.) and integrated with a vegetable garden.
2. To educate residents, visitors, and schoolchildren on the medicinal properties of native plants, particularly those useful for "healing and nourishing oneself in the event of major risks or serious natural disasters" .
3. To prevent delinquency by offering young people educational opportunities to gain experience in public interaction, cultural and social mediation, skill development for socio-professional integration (Ref 4).
4. To foster social cohesion and community participation by providing a space where diverse groups can rebuild social ties, engage in intergenerational exchanges, and participate in cultural and artistic activities
5. To train local professionals in the recognition, maintenance and use of medicinal plants.
6.To compile comprehensive information on plants and their ecosystems through educational resources designed to support and guide future practitioners.
(Ref. 3,4,6)
Implementation activities
1) In 2019:
-Established the first plots for medicinal plants (with 150 native medicinal plants included) and a plant nursery and the first educational trail was built.
-Delivered reintegration training for 25 professionals, providing them with knowledge about native medicinal plants and qualifications to build medicinal plant libraries.
2) Between 2019 and 2022:
-Developed public areas, office spaces and a market area to welcome other practitioners.
-Created a shared garden featuring 20 varieties of plants, managed with community members.
-Partnered with a network of research institutes to make an inventory of the plants at the site, which resulted in the creation of a second educational trail and the installation of information panels describing the properties of plants. A book of more than 300 pages was also produced containing information collected on each plant (photo, botanical description, therapeutic indications, method of preparation).
-Continued to provide reintegration trainings to qualify people in medicinal plant libraries.
-Conducted generic workshops and guided tours for all ages.
3) Between 2021-2023:
-Replication of the project in 14 other locations in Martinique.
4) In 2023:
-Renovation and maintenance works (toilets, office spaces).
-Expansion of range of workshops offered on medicinal plants properties and agroecology.
-Continuation of reintegration trainings that qualifies people in medicinal plant libraries.
(Ref. 1,2,4,6)
Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts
Yes
Specification of climate or environmentally vulnerable communities
Coastal communities
Main beneficiaries
- Researchers/University
- Citizens or community groups
- Food producers and cultivators (i.e. farmers, gardeners)
- Young people and children
Governance
Management set-up
- Led by non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
- Non-government organisation/civil society
- Citizens or community group
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Crowd-sourcing/Crowd-funding/Participatory budget
- Taskforce groups
- Dissemination of information and education
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
This initiative is led by the NGO Ypiranga Martinique who administers the project. The municipality provided the land. Citizens regularly volunteer to help and were involved in training and workshops. The NGO collaborated with a network of research institutes to make an inventory of the plants at the site for educational and scientific purposes.
Funding-the project received several sources of funding:
- initially from the EU for a one-year to build the garden and provide trainings on medicinal plants (administered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature).
-from the National Agency for the Ecological Transition (ADEME) and the regional agency "CTM"
-from a network of regional public sector institution and research institutes for an ecological inventory, the creation of educational panels and a trail presenting the species populating the site
- from donations through a crowdfunding platform established by the implementers. (Ref 1; 3; 5; 10).
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Type of enablers
NGOs/Community groups driving the implementation, Support from transitional governance actors, Funds, subsidies or investment for GI/NBS in the city (available for the city or provided by the city)
Financing
Total cost
€50,000 - €100,000
Source(s) of funding
- Public national budget
- Public regional budget
- Research organisation / University
- Crowdfunding
- EU funds
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
- Donations
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of land
- Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
- Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Strengthened capacity to address climate hazards/natural disasters
- Expected strengthened capacity to address climate hazards/natural disasters
- Environmental quality
- Improved soil quality
- Expected improved soil quality
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Achieved increased green space area
- Increased number of species present
- Achieved increased number of species present
- Restoration of derelict areas
- Achieved restoration of derelict areas
Economic impacts
- Increased market share for green economies
- Achieved increased market share for green economies
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved social cohesion
- Expected improved social cohesion
- Increased access to healthy/affordable food
- Achieved increased access to healthy/affordable food
- Increased sustainability of agriculture practices
- Achieved increased sustainability of agriculture practices
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Improvement in people’s connection to nature
- Expected improvement in people’s connection to nature
- Increased awareness of flora and fauna as culturally and historically meaningful
- Achieved increased awareness of flora and fauna as culturally and historically meaningful
- Education
- Increased support for education and scientific research
- Achieved increased support for education and scientific research
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
- Achieved increased knowledge of locals about local nature
- Safety
- Decreased crime rates
- Expected decreased crime rates
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Unknown
References
1.
de Saint-Sernin, S. (2020). En visite à l'éco-lieu de Tivoli. France-Antilles.fr, Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Joseph, C. (2020). plantothèque médicinale école en Martinique. panorama solutions, Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Laulé, N. (n.d.). Un crowfunding pour l’éco-lieu de TIVOLI!. martinique2030, Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Le Guillard, F. (2024). L'écolieu de Tivoli porteur d'un mieux-vivre social. Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
5.
petitfuté.com (n.d.). ECOLIEU DE TIVOLI. petitfuté.com, Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Dorville, A. (2022). 3 questions à Teo Angoleiro sur les plantothèques médicinales. EWAG, Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
7.
life4best.org (n.d.). Ecolieu pédagogique en faveur de la biodiversité végétale et animale. life4best.org, Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
8.
Association Ypiranga Martinique (2024). RAPPORT D’ACTIVITÉ 2023. Fort-de-France: Association Ypiranga Martinique, Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
9.
cityzia.fr (n.d.). Quartier - Tivoli-Post-Colon. cityzia.fr, Accessed on August 28, 2024, [Source link];
10.
IUCN (2020). BEST RUP: Reviving the knowledge and use of creole medicinal plants. IUCN, Accessed on September 10, 2024, [Source link];
the seeding table
Screenshot taken from "RAPPORT D’ACTIVITÉ 2023", downloaded via: https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=9623c881e6f2de5aJmltdHM9MTcyNDgwMzIwMCZpZ3VpZD0yMGI3ZTUwMi00NjMyLTYxNTUtMjc4Ny1mNmE3NDc5YjYwZDMmaW5zaWQ9NTE5Nw&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=3&fclid=20b7e502-4632-6155-2787-f6a7479b60d3&psq=rapport+d%e2%80%99activit%c3%a9+2023+ypiranga+martinique&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cueXBpcmFuZ2FtYXJ0aW5pcXVlLmZyL2FjdHVhbGl0JUMzJUE5cw&ntb=1
Painting of “Ecolieu de Tivoli” fresco by a volunteer
Screenshot taken from "RAPPORT D’ACTIVITÉ 2023", downloaded via: https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=9623c881e6f2de5aJmltdHM9MTcyNDgwMzIwMCZpZ3VpZD0yMGI3ZTUwMi00NjMyLTYxNTUtMjc4Ny1mNmE3NDc5YjYwZDMmaW5zaWQ9NTE5Nw&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=3&fclid=20b7e502-4632-6155-2787-f6a7479b60d3&psq=rapport+d%e2%80%99activit%c3%a9+2023+ypiranga+martinique&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cueXBpcmFuZ2FtYXJ0aW5pcXVlLmZyL2FjdHVhbGl0JUMzJUE5cw&ntb=1
The shared garden during the installation of a mini-market – CCPYPM archives - 2021
Screenshot taken from "RAPPORT D’ACTIVITÉ 2023", downloaded via: https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=9623c881e6f2de5aJmltdHM9MTcyNDgwMzIwMCZpZ3VpZD0yMGI3ZTUwMi00NjMyLTYxNTUtMjc4Ny1mNmE3NDc5YjYwZDMmaW5zaWQ9NTE5Nw&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=3&fclid=20b7e502-4632-6155-2787-f6a7479b60d3&psq=rapport+d%e2%80%99activit%c3%a9+2023+ypiranga+martinique&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cueXBpcmFuZ2FtYXJ0aW5pcXVlLmZyL2FjdHVhbGl0JUMzJUE5cw&ntb=1
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.