YELLOWSTONE ARBORETUM
" Stewards of the Natural Environment "
Billings, Montana @ ZooMontana
Ethnobotany Collections
eth·no·bot·a·ny (eTHnōˈbätənē) noun
The scientific study of the traditional knowledge and customs of a people concerning plants and their medical, religious, and other uses.
The Yellowstone Arboretum features several opportunities to study the plants native to Montana, the region and its peoples. Located throughout the campus, the following information will serve as your guide to those areas of the arboretum that feature Native American plants used in past and present day cultures. Although there may be some overlap in each collection, different areas of the arboretum offers unique growing environments. To start , let's explore each of the areas and trees listed below for a great discovery tour of Montana natives !
Ethnobotany is the interdisciplinary study of the relationships between plants and people, examining how different cultures use native plants for food, medicine, shelter, tools, and other purposes. It combines traditional knowledge with modern science to understand and preserve the uses of plants, which has been vital for human survival, cultural development, and scientific discoveries.
Key Aspects of Ethnobotany
Study of plant uses: It focuses on how a specific culture or region uses the plants native to their area, whether for sustenance, shelter, or spiritual and utilitarian purposes.
Interdisciplinary field: Ethnobotany bridges the natural and social sciences, looking at both the botanical characteristics of plants and the human culture that interacts with them.
Preservation of knowledge: A crucial goal is to document and preserve traditional knowledge about plants, which is often passed down through generations.
Scientific discovery: It serves as a foundation for modern science, with traditional uses guiding the discovery of new medicines and other applications. For example, the traditional use of willow bark led to the development of aspirin.
Modern and traditional applications: It explores both historical uses and contemporary applications, acknowledging the complex history of the field and its role in conservation and sustainable living.
Navigation
Montana's ethnobotanical trees include a variety of species used by indigenous peoples for medicine, ceremony, and practical purposes, such as lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine, white spruce, and black cottonwood. These trees were vital resources, with the lodgepole pine's wood used for teepees and its cones adapted to fire-dependent reproduction, while other trees were used for tools and spiritual practices.
Examples of ethnobotanical trees found at the arboretum
Lodgepole Pine
(located in Lodgepole Meadows near Wolf and at the entrance to the Bison habitat)
A foundational species for many native cultures, used for constructing teepees, tools, and other necessities. Its relationship with fire is key to its life cycle, and it is a dominant tree in much of Montana.
Ponderosa Pine
( found throughout the grounds but especially the MNLA Conifer Garden)
The official state tree of Montana, used for various purposes. It is a large, adaptable tree found in mountainous regions.
White Spruce, Black Hills Spruce
(located in and around the Bald Eagle display and the Lynx Pathway)
Native to Montana and found in the Glacier Park area and the Black Hills it has a narrow habit with horizontal branches and is used for various purposes.
Black Cottonwood
(a new specimen can be found in the Foster Waterfowl refuge)
Dominant in Montana's riparian areas, it is a major tree species in floodplains and riverbanks.
Douglas Fir
(located on Badger Knoll and across from Golden Eagle)
Another dominant tree species in Montana's forests noted for its size and structure.
Rocky Mountain Juniper
(good examples found in the Old Pond Collection)
A small tree that grows in dry soils and has traditional uses. The related Common Juniper can be found on Badger Knoll and Wolverine Meadows
Subalpine Fir
(found across from Wolf in Lodgepole Meadows)
Found in mountainous regions, it has uses similar to other firs.
Paper Birch
(located just west of the Homestead House)
Known for its white bark, paper birch has a variety of ethnobotanical uses, including for crafting tools and canoes.
Quaking Aspen
(look for colonies at Porcupine, Golden Eagle and northwest of the entrance wall)
A fast-growing and hardy tree that turns golden in the fall and was used for various purposes.
< Read the complete Trees & Shrubs of Montana