My name is Inge Kuijper.

I am an independent ethnobotanist with a focus on indigenous and local knowledge and participatory methods. As a researcher and educator I want to support the documentation and regeneration of traditional knowledge especially in the context of biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, and agro-ecology.

In 2021 I completed my MSc in ethnobotany at the University of Kent, with my thesis exploring the significance of the sedge waste (Cyperus spp.) in Shipibo-Konibo culture. My most recent fieldwork in 2025 focused on the rich medicinal plant knowledge of the Sakalava ethnic group in north-west Madagascar.

With a prior career in user experience design I bring experience with design thinking and participatory methods into the field of ethnobotany and people and plant relationships. I also enjoy speaking and teaching about ethnobotany to anyone with an interest in plants and human cultures, and my online People and Planys course has now been completed by over a hundred students.

I live in Sussex, where I enjoy the Ashdown Forest, the seasonal celebrations, and our local ethnobotany.

Feel welcome to contact me with any requests about research, courses, workshops or potential collaborations!

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