[MPWG] RE: Conservation of the peoples heritage

[Robyn Klein]

Dear Dr. Kala and Mr. Hughes,

Indeed, those who teach students and others about medicinal plants are 
partly responsible for the popularity of these medicinal plants.  This can 
lead to product manufacturers seeking this plant material by the ton from 
the wild.  Sustainable growing practices are often not known for some of 
these plants and they can only be accessed from the wild.

In the U.S. it has been common among herbalists to write or speak about 
"little known" medicinal plants which are usually only found in the wild or 
are not being cultivated.  This is often caused by the ego, wishing to set 
oneself higher than other practitioners. It is therefore, beneficial if 
this is pointed out to all practitioners so they become aware of the effect 
of their talks and books.

It is also common practice among North American herbalists to assume that 
wild plants are somehow "stronger" and therefore better than cultivated 
plants.  This can encourage unsustainable wildcrafting (collecting). I have 
tried to point out to my colleagues that many cultivated plants can be 
stronger than those in the wild (Cannabis comes to mind).  Additionally, 
just how much wax do you need to polish a table?  Does more wax mean a 
better shine?  I do not think so.

Therefore, there is much work that can be done among practitioners 
themselves to discover ways to promote sustainable harvest and rational 
access to, and protection of, medicinal plants.

Kind Regards,
Robyn Klein, A.H.G., and Masters Graduate Student in Plant Sciences
Montana State University
Bozeman, Montana USA


>Ivor Hughes has raised a very prominent issue. There is of course lacking 
>of consolidated data on the impact of current medical and pharmaceutical 
>practices in relation to medicinal plants, and the species extinction due 
>to these practices. My experiences on the Himalayan medicinal plants 
>clearly shows that advent of commercial forces has made to decline the 
>useful species. The population density of many medicinal plants has 
>declinded rapidly over past 20 years in many areas of the Himalaya and we 
>of course need to conserve them. I have a counter question here, should we 
>wait for extinction of these valuable species ?
>
>CP Kala, Ph.D.