The You in UWP

a message from John Flowers

Every living thing is ­sacred. This is a teaching of some of the great spiritual traditions but humankind has forgotten this great truth. People have in too large part focused upon mastery of the material world. Many strive for money, power, and control over others and over the environment. They have forgotten that without a supportive living environment, they cannot have material prosperity and wealth nor can they have power or control. With the environment compromised enough, all people are reduced to survival or not ­survival. And we on this planet are on a trajectory towards this reckoning.

How can this be stopped, or modified, or ameliorated? The future can be changed by enough people waking up to the great precious jewel that is Mother Earth and the great need to help, support, nurture, and heal her. Doctors are taught to first do no harm. This can well apply to our relationship to our planet.

Part of this awakening is coming to understand the value of individual parts of the tapestry of life. The special role that Useful Wild Plants plays in this is in showing the known uses of approximately 4000 plants in our environment and their locations—documented in the monumental multi-volume set in progress: The Useful Wild Plants of Texas, the Southeastern and Southwestern United States, the Southern Plains, and Northern Mexico.

This information can be invaluable in the prioritization of our time, money, attention, and resources to insure that these plants and the areas where they are found are protected and set aside. Such efforts are not only for those living at the present time, but also all those who come after us. The genetic ­heritage for future medicines, food, and products may be significantly compromised if these plant species are lost.

Through the roles of Useful Wild Plants, Inc. of conservation, education, research, publication, and entrepreneurship, this organization is developing invaluable tools to help in the decisions of land use and conservation that can affect the future of this planet.

For such reasons, your new or continued support of the work of Useful Wild Plants through membership, donations, and/or volunteer services is important. Please share what you can.

Thank you for your consideration.

John G. Flowers III

Member of the Board of Trustees