Journal of Applied Biosciences (J. Appl. Biosci.) [ISSN 1997 - 5902]
Volume 8(2): 323 - 330. Published August 2008.
Medicinal plants and traditional knowledge in the Northern Mariana Islands
Dilip Nandwani*^, Julita A. Calvo**, Jack Tenorio*, Felix Calvo* and Lourdes Manglona**
* Cooperative Research, Extension and Education Service, Northern Marianas College, PO Box 501250, Saipan, MP 96950, Northern Marianas Islands; ** Department of Community and Cultural Affairs, Rota, MP 96951, Northern Marianas Islands
^Corresponding author email: dilipnandwani@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
. The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) is located in the Western Pacific and consists of 14 islands with a total dry land area of 176.5 square miles. The three major inhabited islands are Saipan, Tinian, and Rota, which comprise about 90% of the total land mass, and accommodates the entire population of 70,000 residents. There are two native ethnic communities in the CNMI, the Chamorros and the Carolinians, both accounting for about 50% of the islands population. In these islands plants are very important resources for medicinal needs of the native ethnic communities. The Northern Marianas College Cooperative Research, Extension and Education Service (NMC-CREES) is undertaking research on medicinal plants through scientific research.
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