Researcher Jorge Paiva signs article on the role of botanical gardens and the threat of “phytokleptomania”
The botanist Jorge Paiva, researcher at the CFE of the University of Coimbra and member of the TERRA Associate Laboratory, is the author of a column published in the newspaper Público on July 19th, titled “Jardins botânicos e fitocleptomaníacos”. In the article, the researcher offers a critical reflection on the historical and current role of botanical gardens, warning of the risks associated with the unauthorized collection of plant species — a practice he terms “phytokleptomania.”
The column combines scientific insight with historical memory, highlighting the fundamental role that botanical gardens have played — and continue to play — in the conservation of plant diversity, as well as in environmental education and scientific research. At the same time, Jorge Paiva raises ethical and legal concerns regarding biopiracy and the unequal access to genetic resources, stressing that the extraction of rare or endemic plants without proper authorization can threaten fragile ecosystems and endanger the natural heritage of countries in the Global South.
This article thus serves as a warning about the need to recognize and value botanical gardens as scientific and conservationist institutions, and to strengthen international regulatory mechanisms regarding access to and use of genetic resources.
With a career marked by his defense of the environment and biodiversity, Jorge Paiva is known for his commitment to scientific outreach and his ability to translate complex topics for the general public. His contribution to Público is part of this trajectory, opening space for debate on ecological justice, scientific sovereignty, and the conservation of plant heritage.
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