The Montserrat National Trust to Launch New Project This Week

The Montserrat National Trust unveils a new project this week to highlight the island’s conservation efforts and history.

The project, part of the Hidden History programme will be launched on Wednesday July 6th.

It looks at the fascinating history behind ‘weeds and bush’, medicinal non-native plants, including blue vervain, which have been a traditional part of life for hundreds of years.

This new project aims to shine a light on the impact on the natural and cultural environment of colonial history in two UK Overseas Territories; focusing on non-native invasive species in the Cayman Islands and the medicinal use of non-native plants on Montserrat.

The flora of Montserrat includes many plants with medicinal properties.

The traditional use of these plants on the island originate from shared histories between the Amerindians and enslaved people.

Over a quarter of the medicinal plants found on Montserrat are from the “Old World”.

Some weeds are categorised as invasive, but some were also lifelines for Montserratians to cope with the violence of plantation life and colonialism.

According to the MNT the project aims to maintain knowledge across the community of Montserrat, including school children, medicinal plant practitioners, environment officers, farmers and herbalists.

It will explore how common plant names recognised today by Montserratians reflect the histories of the plants and how this knowledge was built up over time.

Sharing knowledge of the use and importance of these plants will help both local communities and researchers in the UKOTs and UK understand how best to help Montserratians protect their natural and cultural heritage.