T. Heilbron 2012.Botanical relics of the plantations - osodresie

Abstract
This research demonstrates the need for recognition of the botanical heritage of the plantation
era in Suriname among scientists, Surinamese citizens and tourists, in order to ensure
its protection as a living memory of the country’s turbulent history. The botanical heritage
of the plantation society was investigated by searching for physical relic plants and exploring
the local knowledge about these plants, also an important aspect of the heritage of the
plantations. On 27 locations of former plantations, 41 specimens of botanical relics were
collected. Individuals of 18 species could be regarded as plantation relics. Field assessment,
interviews with the local population and landowners, historical literature, maps and pictures
were essential to placing the relics into context. A former production field of cacao dating
to pre-abolition times, remnants of tamarind lanes, a date palm from Africa that became
a part of the natural vegetation, a banana used as a food source by slaves in their escape
from the plantations, remnants of cactus hedges in the forest, a shade tree for cash crops
still very common, a Javanese black rice variety in decline, wild hedge plants of the genus
Triphasia and a wild banana, a new record for Suriname, were amongst the finds. Results
of this study will be incorporated in a botanical heritage project for tourists on one of the
research locations at plantation Reijnsdorp, Commewijne.
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