Susanne Masters

Susanne Masters

United Kingdom

 

Member profile details

First name
Susanne
Last name
Masters
Organisation
Susanne Masters
Business type
Foraging Author
Photo
Biography
When you look at ecological history, medicinal and edible properties, plants and animals are storytellers. My work on interpreting what wildlife means in a landscape and how to sustain and make use of it takes varied forms from selecting ingredients for distilleries to writing guidebooks. I am available to speak at and co-host events, previous examples include speaking about juniper and gin at the Boutique Bar Show and Norwich Science Festival, edible orchids at the RHS Orchid Show, and a botanical pub quiz at the Chelsea Physic Garden.

Science
I have an MSc in Ethnobotany and am completing a PhD in conservation science with the Ecology and Evolution department of Naturalis Biodiversity Center. My research on wildlife trade is focused on orchids. I’ve written extensively about the ethnobotany of orchids in different regions around the world from Bhutan and Belize to Turkey and Yunnan.

Ingredient selection
Following on from my Masters research interviewing people about plants they were using to make drinks I’ve worked on ingredient selection for distilleries including Isle of Harris Gin and The Boatyard Distillery. I’ve also worked on concept development, and translating technical text into consumer text for spas and skincare companies e.g. Wildsmithskin.

Writing
My book Wild Waters is an interactive guide to wildlife around water in Britain and Ireland. I’ve also contributed text and recipes to other books including ‘Kew’s Teas, Tonics, and Tipples’, ‘The World Atlas of Street Food’, ‘West London Wildlife’, and ‘Toes in the Water’.

I write articles for newspapers and magazines including the section on wildlife and environment for Outdoor Swimmer magazine, travel features for the New York Times, BBC Travel and the Guardian, and on botanicals for Distiller.

Behind the scenes I’ve done ethnobotanical fact checking and foraging safety edits for other publications.

Email is the best way to get in contact with me.

Here are some links to projects and organisations I've worked with, and articles I've written:

Naturalis Biodiversity Center https://www.naturalis.nl/en/science/researchers/susanne-masters

National Geographic https://www.nationalgeographic.com/expeditions/experts/susanne-masters/

Academic publications https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4070-3224

Ethnobotany of orchids https://susannemasters.com/orchids/

Isle of Harris gin https://harrisdistillery.com/pages/isle-of-harris-gin

The Boatyard Distillery https://www.boatyarddistillery.com/

Wildsmithskin https://wildsmithskin.com/

My book Wild Waters https://www.adventurebooks.com/products/wild_waters

Books I've contributed to
https://shop.kew.org/kew-s-teas-tonics-and-tipples
https://thamesandhudson.com/the-world-atlas-of-street-food-9780500519493
https://www.aurorametro.com/product/west-london-wildlife-book/
https://www.adventurebooks.com/products/toes-in-the-water

Portfolio of articles https://muckrack.com/susannemasters/portfolio
Country
United Kingdom
Base county/state
Southwest England
Region covered
Britain and Ireland, Mediterranean and temperate Asia, Eastern seaboard USA

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