[MPWG] Demand for Rhodiola from the wild

[Maureen DeCoursey]

Hi Eric (and Trish!)

Evelyn Leigh will be happy to know her article is generating good
discussion!

Re Rob McCaleb's comments on overharvesting and sustainable harvesting in
Russia.  This is based on the work we have been doing with USAID there for
the past few years. Actually, the Russians had a very interesting and
tightly controlled resource management system for a large number of NTFPs
under the former Soviet system. While it may not have been perfect, at least
they had reasonable inventory data, sustainable harvest protocals, and
tightly controlled resource access systems. Under the former regime, there
was little incentive to over/destructively harvest, at least at the personal
level. (The state, however, may have had other ideas...) In many ways
Russian scientists have something to teach their western counterparts in
this regard. I have found this to be the case in Albania as well, another
country where, under the former regime, had a reasonable resource management
system (facism aside!)  (Any of you government scientists want to partner
with colleagues in Russia or the Balkans on this?)

The dynamic in both countries is that now that the iron grip of the former
system has broken down and been replaced by the free market in a vacuum of
an effective judicial system, harvests are almost completely unmanaged. In
the case of Rhodiola, in previous times it appears that it had been
harvested--dare I say it, sustainably? when it was done by Russian
cooperatives for the manufacturing of Russian products.  But now that
borders are porous and the demand has spiked, its a free-for-all. I was in
the Baikal region two summers ago on this project, and this was one the main
complaints of scientists at the Russian Academy of Science there.

The moral of the story is: rich forests, poor people, high market demand,
open access resource---degredation.  You know the story.

Maureen DeCoursey
Non-Timber Forestry Consultants
Fort Collins, Colorado

-----Original Message-----
From: MPWG-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org
[mailto:MPWG-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org]On Behalf Of Eric T
Jones
Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2004 1:19 PM
To: MPWG at lists.plantconservation.org
Subject: Re: [MPWG] Demand for Rhodiola from the wild


Dear MPWG,

In reading the article the conclusions of the research sound dubious to me
and I wish that we would not circulate mass media articles on this
list.  Though the research article upon which the story is based isn't
available yet they have put out a press release reuters?  In the article
they say that the analysis is based on a the number of species on the IUCN
list harvested from the wild.  The implication is that if the source is
wild it is unsustainable.  Well, if inventory and monitoring of commercial
herbals is anything like it is in the U.S. (virtually nonexistent) then
they probably don't have any biological/ecological data to back of their
claims.

I'm not saying that global economics can't lead to pressures on natural
resources but let's be careful about what we endorse.


At 1/8/2004, Robyn Klein wrote:
>Here is an article on Rhodiola rosea, which is fast becoming the new
>exotic herb.  Late in the article is mention of the problem of finding
>sustainable sources.  This is a long-lived plant. I'm not sure how long it
>takes to reach marketable size.
>
>http://www.herbsforhealth.com/01_04/rhodiola.asp
>
>Robyn Klein
>Department of Plant Sciences & Plant Pathology
>Montana State University
>Bozeman, Montana
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>MPWG mailing list
>MPWG at lists.plantconservation.org
>http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/mpwg_lists.plantconserv
ation.org
>
>Disclaimer
>Any advice given on this list regarding diagnosis or treatments etc.
>reflects ONLY the opinion of the individual who posts the message. The
>information contained in posts is not intended nor implied to be a
>substitute for professional medical advice relative to your specific
>medical condition or question. All medical and other healthcare
>information that is discussed on this list should be carefully reviewed by
>the individual reader and their qualified healthcare professional. Posts
>do not reflect any official opinions or positions of the Plant
>Conservation Alliance.



_______________________________________________
MPWG mailing list
MPWG at lists.plantconservation.org
http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/mpwg_lists.plantconserva
tion.org

Disclaimer
Any advice given on this list regarding diagnosis or treatments etc.
reflects ONLY the opinion of the individual who posts the message. The
information contained in posts is not intended nor implied to be a
substitute for professional medical advice relative to your specific medical
condition or question. All medical and other healthcare information that is
discussed on this list should be carefully reviewed by the individual reader
and their qualified healthcare professional. Posts do not reflect any
official opinions or positions of the Plant Conservation Alliance.