Herbolario v. 1: building database for medicinal plants used by ethnolinguistic groups in the Philippines to support indigenous knowledge conservation

The importance of open and accessible biodiversity data has received increased attention from ecologists and conservation biologists. However, there is a scarcity of information focusing on indigenous knowledge of biodiversity, particularly in developing countries, such as the Philippines, where such knowledge is highly concentrated. Herbolario v. 1 presents a comprehensive FAIR database focusing on the diversity and distribution of ethnomedicinal plants used by at least 34 out of 112 ethnolinguistic groups in the Philippines. The database aims to consolidate, digitally store, and build traditional plant data that are publicly available following the principles of FAIR data sharing. This initiative offers a vital platform for preserving and disseminating indigenous knowledge and protecting traditional practices and cultural heritage by making data open access and analysis-ready. Additionally, incorporating this knowledge into broader biodiversity databases will improve the comprehensiveness and accuracy of global biodiversity assessment and conservation strategies. Furthermore, by making such data accessible, it can stimulate interdisciplinary research and foster cooperation among traditional knowledge holders, scientists, and policymakers. The database includes 13,402 distribution records of 796 plant species used by 34 ethnolinguistic groups in the Philippines. The associated database is accessible through the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) ( https://doi.org/10.15468/hj76g7 ).