OBSERVATORY LAB: FOODSCAPE AND WILD EDIBLE PLANTS IN PICO ISLAND

Wild Edible Plants • Traditional Knowledge • Living Landscapes

The Observatory Lab invites you to experience Pico Island through its edible and cultural landscapes, where volcanic geology, wild plants, and community knowledge are deeply intertwined. Rooted in ethnobotanical research and ethnographic observation and inspired by the philosophy of Maria Manuel Valagão, the project explores how local people have long read, used, and shaped Pico’s territory through their daily interactions with spontaneous plants.

With the contribution of renowned plant specialist Fernanda Botelho, the initiative documents and highlights Pico’s wild edible and medicinal species, bringing scientific insight to traditional ecological knowledge. We will also count on the presence of cooking enthusiasts and foodies, including voices from the vegan world such as the worldtraveler Zara Quiroga, who brings her enthusiasm and experience in plant-based culinary and sustainable food practice.

Through guided walking routes, participants listen, observe, and engage with local residents, discovering how plant lore circulates across generations. Field experiences are complemented by our Cooking Lab sessions, where gathered insights are transformed into practice — preparing, tasting, and reimagining wild plants in ways that celebrate both tradition and innovation.

Together, these activities reveal Pico Island as a dynamic foodscape where nature, heritage, and contemporary food practices meet.