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How to Save Wild Medicinal and Culinary Herbs - from a South african Perspective
by Andrew Smit
As the need for alternative medicinal resources increases the over exploitation of wild herbs is becoming a serious problem. Many herbs have been taken to near extinction in the wild. Protecting herbs from over-exploitation needs co-operation from ecologists, plant breeders, health professionals and traditional healers as well as governmental policy makers. Many herbs are protected under the following categories: rare, vulnerable, endangered and extinct. Collecting from the wild certainly has an impact on the ecosystem if the harvested plants fall under the endangered and extinct heading.
Herbs with a slow growing rate and or a low reproduction rate, naturally having few leaves and flowers and endemic species with localized distribution are always at risk of becoming extinct. Picking the whole plant or in the case of trees cutting them down also plays a large role in over-exploitation. Bark stripping and sap milking if not controlled has an enormous impact on trees especially in rainforest areas.
Protecting herbs and plant life starts with the individual, and common sense is always required. Do not pick or uproot protected species. In some countries it is illegal to harvest any wild plants without the landowners permission. Do not transport plants and seeds across country boarders whether they are legal or illegal quarantine regulations are in place in many countries to prevent the spread of pests, diseases and weed (a herb in one country may be considered as a weed in another and may upset the natural balance).
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