Forests, Culture and Health

Abstract

The territory is a multicultural space with traditional and/or circumstantial and recent knowledges and practices, which presents a complexity and dynamics which enriches itself. Biological and cultural diversity nourish with migrant population exchanges, which are generations which provide benefits with popular health construction. The concept of health is a dynamic construction. Nevertheless, tradition knowledge is linked to oral and intergenerational transmission, which relates to the spiritual and depends on the access to sacred spaces and/or territories where there are biological and symbolic resources, conforming a holistic paradigm. There are more than 40 native groups of people living in Argentina, which are distributed in different phytogeographic regions which coexist in a relationship of respect for nature. One of the most sustainable exploited natural resources is the large quantity of plants used for health issues. The dialogue between perspectives and paradigms requires to avoid translations, implementing wrong interpretations which denaturalize these knowledge and practices. The identification, characterization and monitoring of ecosystem services with health benefits would provide better access and reproduction of culture of people. It is fundamental to promote public policies which guarantee cultural reproduction in a framework of ecosystem health.