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| Plants - reports and fact sheets |
Plant conservation | Medicinal plants | People and Plants | Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Plant conservation
Plant conservation and WWF: current work and recommendations for the future
Dr Alan Hamilton and Dr Susanne Schmitt, WWF-UK, July 2000
This report contains the results of the first study undertaken to determine the contributions of WWF to plant conservation. The aim is to identify priority actions for the future, appropriate to the organisation. According to WWF's mission, plant conservation should be central to its work.
Download the report
Medicinal plants
Species factsheets
Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) have been used for centuries for health and for the flavouring of our food and drinks. In recent years, the interest in MAPs and their use in the West, but also in places like India and China, has dramatically increased.
Most MAP species are harvested from the wild and as a result of the dramatic increase in demand some species have become over-harvested and are becoming threatened.
Below are factsheets on 14 different species of medicinal and aromatic plants, some of which are endangered and others are included because of their recent popularity. The factsheets give a description of the plant, its geographic distribution and habitat, parts used, uses, sources of plant material and trade, legal protection, conservation assessment and conservation recommendation. Each factsheet has a small reference list and bibliography for further reading.
Black cohosh - Actea racemosa | Photo
Yellow Pheasant's Eye - Adonis vernalis
Arnica - Arnica montana | Photo
Purple Coneflower - Echinacea species | Photo
Ginkgo - Ginkgo biloba | Photo
American Ginseng - Panax quinquefolius | Photo
Liquorice - Glycyrrhiza glabra | Photo
Devil's Claw - Harpagophytum procumbens | Photo
Goldenseal - Hydrastis canadensis | Photo
St John's wort - Hypericum perforatum | Photo
Kava Kava - Piper methysticum
African Cherry - Prunus africana | Photo
Thyme - Thymus species | Photo
Himalayan Yew - Taxus wallichiana | Photo
These factsheets were written by Julia Behrens, Susanne Schmitt and Alan Hamilton. Information was gratefully received and some parts of text translated from factsheets produced by WWF Germany/TRAFFIC-Europe Germany.
Issues factsheets
Herbal remedies and cosmetic products have been increasing enormously in popularity over the past decade. Annual growth rates in sales of 10-15 per cent in the US and Europe have not been unusual. The majority of this demand is met from medicinal and aromatic plants harvested in the wild, which has led to the over-harvesting of some species. Yet, does this mean that wild harvesting should be discouraged and all efforts should move into cultivation? Not necessarily is the answer.
These factsheets are designed to provide some background on the issues. Each factsheet has a small bibliography and reference list for further reading.
Towards sustainable herbal medicine
Cultivation versus wild harvesting: is cultivation the sole solution?
Use of plants for medicine around the world
Trade in medicinal and aromatic plants
What can the consumer do?
Laws and regulations relating to conservation, trade and use of medicinal plants
What is herbal medicine?
These factsheets were written by Kristina Plenderleith with input by Susanne Schmitt and Alan Hamilton. Information was also gratefully received from WWF Germany/TRAFFIC-Europe Germany.
Healing power from nature
This report contains information on the importance of medicinal plants for people including harvesting, cultivation and farming, trade and processing of medicinal plants. There are also examples of endangered species of medicinal plants; threats and possible solutions for their protection and sustainable use. The text of this report has been translated from German.
A PowerPoint presentation to accompany the report, produced by WWF Germany/TRAFFIC Europe-Germany will be available shortly.
Download the report
Medicinal plants and conservation: issues and approaches
This is an overview article by Dr Alan Hamilton, Head of the International Plants Conservation Unit at WWF-UK which deals with important issues related to medicinal and aromatic plants conservation. The main topics discussed are: - roles for medicinal plants in conservation;
- the values of medicinal plants;
- some concerns surrounding medicinal plants;
- approaches to medicinal plant conservation;
- knowledge systems, learning and information related to medicinal plants.
Download the report
People and Plants
People and Plants is a partnership of WWF and UNESCO. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is an Associate, supporting this and other information services of the programme.
People and Plants produces a range of publications, at a variety of levels, with the aim of spreading information and knowledge of projects and achievements as widely as possible.
Botany for the people: developing curricula in applied ethnobotany
This report contains information and advice on the teaching of applied ethnobotany - that is ethnobotany in the service of conservation and sustainable development. Ethnobotany is the subject that deals with relationships between people and plants - the plants that people know, use and manage, and the meanings that they have for them.
The report is for all those designing courses in the plant-related sciences. There are special sections showing the relevance of the subject to students of agriculture, botany, forestry and medicine (which is largely herbal based in most countries).
Download the report
Conservation Book Series
Containing guidelines, methodologies and case studies on major themes in ethnobotany and related subjects, this series is building into a valuable library, reflecting the work and experience of some of the key experts involved with People and Plants. For further information and ordering details, visit the People and Plantswebsite.
Videos
Verbal and visual means of communication are often more effective than written publications, especially in many developing countries, where people come from a background of strong oral tradition. For this reason, the People and Plants initiative has been producing low-budget videos that illustrate methods used in ethnobotanical studies, focused on rural resource management problems. This has proved to be a valuable training and communication tool, and a way in which lessons learned in this programme have been widely disseminated. For further information and ordering details, visit the People and Plantswebsite.
Working Papers
The series of working papers, published by UNESCO, provides information and generates fruitful discussion on key issues concerning the sustainable and equitable use of plant resources. A working paper is normally a case study based on a particular site or theme. These working papers are downloadable from the website, and some are available in Spanish and French.
Handbook
Each issue of the People and Plants Handbook covers a particular aspect of ethnobotany, providing a handy source of information for a range of readers, from field practitioners including park managers, foresters, researchers and students, to members of government and non-governmental organisations. They may be downloaded from the website.
Africa Programme Bulletins
These contain annotated bibliographies of research in African ethnobotany and are written in English and French. They may be downloaded from the website.
Newsletter
A new edition of the Newsletter is issued every few months, reflecting the latest developments in the People and Plants programme. The newsletter is available from the People and Plantswebsite.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Economic botany links: locating publications
Includes useful resources for obtaining copies of economic botany literature. Includes: journals, book price comparisons, publishers, booksellers, library catalogues and libraries in London. Available on the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew website. |
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WWF-UK > Research > Issues > Plants > Reports
