Kinship: Ethnobotanist Gary Paul Nabhan on embracing the 'wisdom of the desert'

Ethnobotanist Gary Paul Nabhan has been called the “father of the local food movement.” For decades he’s campaigned for seed diversity and sustainable food production. Some of his insights come from the farming practices of Indigenous people living near the U.S.-Mexico border, who’ve grown food in arid habitats for centuries. Originally from the Midwest, Nabhan moved to the Arizona desert several decades ago. He reflects on “the wisdom of the desert,” and also talks about his work to foster a “radical center” where ranchers and environmentalists can come together to find common ground.

Human identity cannot be separated from our nonhuman kin. From forest ecology to the human microbiome, emerging research suggests that being human is a complicated journey made possible only by the good graces of our many companions. In partnership with the Center for Humans and Nature and with support from the Kalliopeia Foundation, To The Best Of Our Knowledge is exploring this theme of "kinship" in a special radio series.

To learn more about the Kinship series, head to ttbook.org/kinship.

Original Air Date: April 15, 2022

Guests: 

Gary Paul Nabhan