Medicine in national and state parks refers to the use of natural resources found within parks for medicinal purposes. Many national and state parks have a diverse range of plants and animals that have been traditionally used for medicinal purposes by indigenous peoples. The National Park Service (NPS) and state park agencies have a mission to preserve, protect, and interpret these resources, including their traditional uses.
Some national and state parks have resources that have been traditionally used for med purposes. For example, many parks in the American Southwest have resources that have been used by indigenous peoples for medicinal purposes, such as yucca, agave, and various species of cactus. Additionally, many parks have resources that have been traditionally used for medicinal purposes by European settlers, such as various species of salicaceae, which are rich in salicylic acid, the active ingredient in aspirin.
The NPS and state park agencies may have regulations in place to protect these resources from over-harvesting and other forms of damage, and may also conduct research to better understand the traditional uses of these resources and the potential for modern medicinal applications.
Visitors to national and state parks can learn about the traditional uses of medicinal resources through ranger-led tours, educational programs, and interpretive exhibits. Additionally, some parks may have visitor centers or museums that feature exhibits on the traditional uses of medicinal resources.
Overall, medicine in national and state parks refers to the use of natural resources found within parks for medicinal purposes. National and state parks have a diverse range of plants and animals that have been traditionally used for medicinal purposes by indigenous peoples, and NPS and state park agencies have a mission to preserve, protect, and interpret these resources, including their traditional uses.
