HERBAL HARVESTS WITH A FUTURETowards sustainable sources for medicinal plants

Plantlife InternationalPlantlife International is a charity dedicated exclusively to conserving all forms of plant life, intheir natural habitats, in the UK, Europe and across the world. We act directly to stop commonwild plants becoming rare in the wild, to rescue wild plants on the brink of extinction and toprotect sites of exceptional botanical importance. We carry out practical conservation work,influence relevant policy, and collaborate widely to promote the cause of wild plantconservation.

Plantlife International14 Rollestone StreetSalisburyWiltshire, SP1 1DXUKTel: +44 (0)1722 342730 Fax: +44 (0)1722 329035E-mail: enquiries@plantlife.org.ukWebsite: www.plantlife.org.uk

AcknowledgementsPlantlife International is extremely grateful for the advice and support of Susanne Schmidt andAlan Hamilton of WWF-UK and James Fearnley from the Herbal Apothecary (Planet Herbs) inthe development of this report. The original idea was developed in consultation with theMedicinal Plant Sustainability Forum.

We extend our gratitude to Sarah Laird of Rainforest Alliance for providing the questionnairedesign used in the research. Data from this UK report were also analysed as part of the globalsurvey by the Rainforest Alliance study (Laird and Pierce, 2002).

Finally, Plantlife International and Julie Behrens are extremely grateful to representatives fromthose organisations that participated in the research, especially Baldwin and Co., Body Shop,Boots,Chinese Medicine Association of Suppliers, Europam (European Herbs GrowersAsssociation),GNC,Grannery Herbs,Herbal Botanics,Herbal Food Manufacture Association,National Herb Centre,National Institute of Herbal Medicine,Neals Yard Remedies, Potters,Proline Botanicals,Quest Vitamins Ltd., Rutland Organic, Solgar UK,The Herb Exchange Ltd.,and the University of Westminster.

Written by Gail Vines based on research by Julia Behrens.Julia Behrens9 Walpole TerraceBrighton, SussexBN2 2EB

A copy of the full research report is available on request from Plantlife International.

This is a Plantlife International project conducted in collaboration with the HerbalApothecary (Planet Herbs) and WWF-UK

HERBAL HARVESTS WITH A FUTURE 3

The importance of the herbal medicineindustry is growing. More than 80 per cent ofthe world’s population depends on herbalmedicine for their primary health care andmore than a quarter of the United Kingdompopulation use herbal medicine regularly.Most material used in herbal medicine andvitamin supplements is taken from wild plantsand the rapidly growing demand for medicinalplants, compounded by habitat loss, is puttingpressure on many species. The need foraction is recognised in the Global Strategy forPlant Conservation targets agreed by theParties to the Convention on BiologicalDiversity. Research conducted for this paperincluded interviews with a number of peopleconnected with the UK herbal medicineindustry.The results are a set ofrecommendations aimed at achieving greatersustainability throughout the industry.Plantlife International proposes theintroduction of certification schemes withappropriate chain of custody mechanisms, thedevelopment of a code of practice forindustry, the incorporation of sustainabilityprinciples in law,more support for cultivationand a new programme of research andeducation.

Ancient medicines,new dilemmas

Perhaps because a delight in wild plants seemsto us the most natural and innocent ofemotions, it’s easy to forget that, in much ofthe world,wild species are prized as much fortheir value as food or as medicinal remedies.The World Health Organization estimatesthat more than 80 per cent of the worldpopulation depends primarily on herbalmedicine for their basic healthcare needs.

Today, the ancient art of herbal medicine isundergoing something of a renaissance in thedeveloped world. Four UK universitiescurrently offer BSc degrees in herbal medicine,reflecting the resurgence of interest intraditional botanical treatments for a widevariety of ills. In one recent British poll, aquarter of the people surveyed said they useherbal medicine regularly. Not surprisingly,herbalism has become big business: in 1994, forinstance,£88 million of herbal medicines andhealth foods were imported into Britain alone.

This remarkable revival raises new dilemmasfor plant conservationists.Although someplant species used in large quantities in herbal

medicine are cultivated, in terms of thenumber of species utilized, the great majorityare still collected from the wild. Some ofthese are common and fast-growing andthere is no conservation concern.However,others are more vulnerable with theirpopulations becoming diminished.Thedangers are genetic erosion of populations,local extinction and habitat degradation.

As any school child knows, plants are thefoundation upon which the rest of lifedepends. Without wild plants the animalkingdom would vanish. Indeed, the life-support systems of the planet can only bemaintained by protecting plant diversity. If weare to continue to benefit from wild plants,for example through medicine, PlantlifeInternational believes that they must be usedsustainably.This is why we are committed tothe principles of sustainable use as enshrinedin the Convention on Biological Diversityagreed at the Earth Summit in Rio in 1992.This also explains why we worked for and willhelp to implement the Global Strategy forPlant Conservation.Three of the sixteentargets commit governments to use plantssustainably.

Part 1: Setting the scene

A quarter of the Britishpopulation use herbalmedicine regularly

In a nutshell

H E R B A L H A R V E S T S W I T H A F U T U R ETowards sustainable sources for medicinal plants

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Why conservation action isurgently needed

The pressure on wild plant communities canbe substantial. In Europe alone, for instance,some 1300 medicinal plants are usedcommercially,with up to 90 per centcollected from the wild.Worldwide, sometwo-thirds of all medicinal plants areharvested from the wild.Most raw material ininternational trade comes from Europe,North America, India and China,where wildcollection is often an important part of ruraleconomies.

At the moment,wasteful harvestingtechniques are commonplace. For instance,only the leaves of the bearberry Arctostaphylos

uva-ursi – are used in treatments for kidneyor digestive problems, yet often the wholeplant is uprooted. If only the required parts ofthe plant had been collected, it might notnow be so rare in Albania, Bulgaria, the CzechRepublic, Romania and the Netherlands.

Sometimes the damage can lead todegradation of habitats. Industrial-scaleharvesting of wild thyme Thymus spp. in Spaininvolves the uprooting of whole plants andcan lead to extensive soil erosion. In addition,some rare species of thyme are becomingendangered through indiscriminantcollection. Similar problems with unsuitableharvesting methods have been experiencedin the case of kava kava Piper methysticum inthe South Pacific. The main active ingredients

Uncontrolled harvesting from the wild

Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi leaves help relieve kidneyor digestive problems

HERBAL HARVESTS WITH A FUTURE 5

kava are found in the roots and rootstocks,and are a group of compounds known as thekavalactones. In one incident in 1996, 17people died in a landslide that followed clear-harvesting.

The plight of liquorice Glycyrrhiza glabra,popularly used in cough syrups, toothpastes,drink flavourings, cakes and fire extinguishers,hints at the scale of the problem. Europeimported some 6000 tonnes of the root in1996,mostly from Asia, and, in the same year,exported 2700 tonnes.A huge decline inexports from Turkey, Europe’s biggestexporter – from 3040 tonnes in 1991 to only985 tonnes in 1996 – reflects the growingimpact of non-sustainable harvesting.Theplant is now rare in Bulgaria and threatened

in both Hungary and Turkey.Many othercommonly used medicinal plants are underthreat, including unicorn root Chamaeliriumluteum, goldenseal Hydrastis canadensis andAmerican ginseng Panax quinquefolius. Asianginseng Panax ginseng is also rare in the wildnow, although the huge demand is nowmostly supplied by cultivation especially inKorea.

The challenge for everyone – herbalist andconservationist alike – is to find ways tosupport the use of herbal medicine withoutfostering the overexploitation of the world’swild plants. At the moment, the trade inmedicinal plants is huge, and largelyunmonitored. It is highly likely that manyharvesting practices are at presentunsustainable, threatening populations ofmedicinal plants and their habitats, and alsothe livelihoods of those people engaged intheir collection.Urgent action is needed tofind workable global solutions.

Industrial-scale harvesting of wild thymeThymus spp. in Spain involves the uprootingof whole plants and can lead to extensivesoil erosion.

Market trader selling ginseng,Quinghan Dao, N E China

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Legislation today lacks sustainability clause

Current legislation is unable to ensure thatmedicinal plants are exploited in sustainableways. At the global level, the regulation ofinternational trade in botanicals (and otherplant, as well as animal, species) is covered byCITES, the Convention for International Tradein Endangered Species of Wild Fauna andFlora.This treaty, established in 1973 andsigned by 143 countries, prohibits trade inmore than 600 species of animals and plants(listed in Appendix I) threatened withextinction.Only one species of medicinalplant,Saussurea lappa, has been specificallylisted in Appendix I because of concernsabout its trade as a medicinal.Appendix II lists21,000 species of plants that may becomeextinct if nothing is done to protect them.They may be imported for commercialpurposes if they have received an exportlicence,which should confirm that they beenobtained legally and from sustainable sources.Forty-seven European medicinal plantspecies, all of them bulbous plants, and 82

non-native European species are listed on Appendix II.

TRAFFIC, established in 1976 as a jointprogramme of the World Wildlife Fund(WWF) and the World Conservation Union(IUCN) is a non-governmental organisationwhich works closely with the CITESSecretariat. TRAFFIC concentrates oninternational law and agreements relating tosustainable wildlife trade. It is becomingincreasingly concerned about the medicinalplant trade and is now gathering informationand lobbying to inform and encourageindustry, practitioners, consumers, and stateand federal agencies to take steps to protectspecies and to ensure supplies of medicinalplants will continue to be available in thefuture.

At a European level, new legislation in theform of amendments to the European UnionWildlife Trade Regulation came into effect on1 June 1997.These amendments are designedto provide stricter controls than previously, inview of the problems brought about by

abolition of internal borders.The revised EUregulations are stricter than those of CITESand include additional ‘at risk’ categories.One of these categories refers to ‘species inneed of monitoring’. For example, it includesarnica (also known as leopard’s bane) Arnicamontana, bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi,yellow gentian Gentiana lutea, and bogbean(also known as marsh trefoil or bug bean)Menyanthes trifoliata, all imported in suchnumbers as to warrant a watchful eye.

Demands for some of these plants can beparticularly high because they are used for avariety of complaints, and incorporated intohundreds of herbal preparations and vitaminsupplements. Bogbean, for instance, hasbeen traditionally used for rheumaticcomplaints, skin diseases and for reducingfevers, and is also recognised as an aid todigestion and a stimulant to the appetite.Yetthis beautiful marsh plant,with its frothypinkish-white flowers, grows in fragilewetlands, and is declining throughoutcentral and southern Europe owing tohabitat destruction. It is included in the Red

HERBAL HARVESTS WITH A FUTURE6

Routes to regulationAll orchids are listed on Appendix II of CITES andsome such as green-winged orchid Orchis morioare used to make salep and for making hot drinksand ice-cream.

HERBAL HARVESTS WITH A FUTURE 7

Data book for Hungary and Bulgaria.

In the UK, the Medicine Control Agencyenforces laws regulating medicine, and isresponsible for safeguarding public health byensuring that all medicines on the UK marketmeet appropriate standards of safety, qualityand efficacy. At present,many herbalproducts are marketed in the UK as food ordietary supplements.There is a proposal for aTraditional Herbal Medicine ProductDirective to be drawn up under the EU, amatter that is causing concern in the herbalindustry,which fears that new labeling andtesting requirements will increase their costsand consumer choice may be unnecessarilyrestricted.Unfortunately, the proposedlegislation does not at present include anyrequirement that herbal products areproduced through sustainable harvesting (seewww.herbalert.org).Other efforts are underway to regulate the sourcing of medicinalplants from cultivation and wild collection.The most influential is likely to be the WHOguidelines on Good Agriculture and

Collection Practice currently underdevelopment although these will not belegally binding.WWF, TRAFFIC and IUCN areadvising and lobbying hard for the inclusion ofappropriate sustainability criteria in theseguidelines.

Meeting thetargetsInternational action for plantconservation

The medicinal plants industry also needs totake action if the UK is to meet itsinternational obligations,which includeensuring that by 2010 at least 30 per cent ofall plant-based products are derived fromsources that are sustainably managed.Thisfollows adoption of a Global Strategy forPlant Conservation at the Sixth Conferenceof the Parties to the Convention on BiologicalDiversity in April 2002.The strategy has 16outcome-oriented targets to be achieved by2010.The third of the five objectives of thestrategy calls for plant diversity to be usedsustainably, and includes three targets,whichsignatory nations need to meet by 2010, thatare directly relevant to the future of thebotanicals industry:Target 11 No species of wild flora endangered

by international tradeTarget 12 30 per cent of plant-based products

derived from sources that aresustainably managed

Target 13 The decline of plant resources, andassociated local and indigenousknowledge, innovations and practices,that support sustainable livelihoods,local food security and health care,halted

Bogbean Menyanthes trifoliata, prescribedfor rheumatism, is declining throughoutcentral and Eastern Europe.

The root of yellow gentian Gentianalutea is used to treat anorexia, lowstomach acidity, anemia and acts as adigestive tonic.

HERBAL HARVESTS WITH A FUTURE8

How sustainable is the UKherbal medicine industry?

As a first step towards the sustainablesourcing of medicinal plants, a survey wascommissioned by Plantlife Internationalin collaboration with WWF-UK (WorldWide Fund for Nature),HerbalApothecary and members of the UKMedicinal Plant Sustainability Forum.Theobjective was to canvas views aboutsustainability from people working in theUK herbal medicine industry, as well asmembers of herbal associations andconservationists. From theseconsultations,we have drawn up a set ofrecommendations, including a code ofpractice that could be considered foradoption throughout the herbal medicalindustry to encourage sustainablesourcing of medicinal plants by herbalcompanies.

CompaniesBaldwin & Co Herbal Apothecary The Herb Exchange Ltd Herbal Botanics Solar Rutland Organics Body Shop Granary Herbs Quest Proline Botanicals Potters Neal’s Yard CNC Nelson Weleda East West Herbs Boots

Industry associationsNational Institute of Medical Herbalists British Herb Trade Association.Health Food Manufacturing Association Chinese Medicine Association of Suppliers

Herbal associationsNational Herb Association European Herbgrowers Association Permaculture Association

Part II The research

Many well-known high-street shops arebenefiting from thepopularity of herbalproducts.

UK companies, industry associations and researchinstitutions interviewed

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HERBAL HARVESTS WITH A FUTURE 9

Results of the surveyThe key findings of theresearch are detailed below.Not only was thereremarkable consistency inthe views expressed, butalso all those interviewedexpressed extremely strongopinions about these topics.A copy of the full researchreport is available fromPlantlife International.

■ New alliancesneeded

Our research showed thatthere is a limited butgrowing awareness of theconservation problemsassociated with thebotanicals industry.Mostcompanies said simply thatthey relied on “reputabledealers” for supplies ofherbal materials.They wereaware, however, that,because most materials arebought throughintermediaries, it is difficultfor them to know whetherthe materials that theypurchase have been sourcedsustainably.There wasstrong agreement thatpartnerships andmechanisms should bedeveloped betweencompanies,NGOs andsource countries to ensurethat the trade is socially andenvironmentallyresponsible.

■ Wild versuscultivated plants

Only six of the seventeencompanies interviewed aregrowing even a smallpercentage of the medicinalplants that they use.Generally, companies didnot see it as theirresponsibility to invest inthe development ofcultivated sources.Furthermore,mostexpressed concern that‘growing their own’ mightnot be economically viablein an uncertain market, andsuggested that sourcingcultivated stock of manymedicinal species throughwholesalers is not currentlypossible. Establishingpartnerships with growersand drawing up long-termcontracts is one waycompanies can encourageinvestment in cultivation ofmedicinal plants with theadded benefit to them ofincreased control overquality, price and volume.But there are two veryimportant factors here.Firstly, under currentmarket and economicconditions, the cultivation ofmany medicinal plants isoften not viable because, forexample, extendedproduction times and thedemand for relatively smallquantities. Secondly,many

medicinal plants are alsovery difficult to cultivate,because of, for example, lowgermination rates and veryspecific ecologicalrequirements.

■ Worries aboutregulation

The primary concerns ofpeople working in thebotanicals industry focusedon impending EU and UKregulations relating, inparticular, to labelling and tothe safety andstandardisation of products.

■ Guidelines needed There was consensus thatenvironmental and socialissues should be addressedmore directly by theindustry and herbaliststhrough the creation andadoption of agreed andclear guidelines promotingsustainability and fair trade.It would be useful formanufacturers to accessadvice on where topurchase sustainablyproduced ingredients, andalso information onmethods of sustainableharvesting or cultivation forparticular species of plants.

KEY MESSAGES FROM THE HERBAL MEDICINE INDUSTRY

HERBAL HARVESTS WITH A FUTURE10

Steps towards eco-friendly trade inmedicinal plants

The following recommendations emergedfrom the interviews with industryrepresentatives. Plantlife International willwork with WWF-UK,Herbal Apocathery andindustry partners to help to implement theserecommendations.

■ Certification of sustainablyproduced products

A certification scheme, identified by a generic‘kite’ mark, for products known to becollected in sustainable ways could help topromote an ecologically responsible marketin medicinal plants.A start has been made bythe Soil Association with its OrganicWildcrafting Standards, but as yet these areonly applicable in specific contexts, forinstance where there is assured tenure ofcollection areas, and are often not fullysuitable either for developing, or developedcountries.The use of a generic ‘kite’ mark willbe of great help to consumers concernedwith making socially and environmentallyethical purchases. A generic certificationsystem for medicinal plants is, however, a

major undertaking and will take time toevolve. It will have to include third partyverification to ensure that standards are beingupheld throughout the supply chain.

■ Codes of practiceCodes of practice should be drawn up andpromoted by individual companies, industryassociations (such as the Health FoodManufacturing Association HFMA) and theBritish Herbal Manufacturers Association(BHMA)) and practicing herbalists. Indeveloping these codes consideration wouldneed to be given to monitoring theirimplementation and impact.

■ LegislationThere was general agreement that laws andregulations relating to the sourcing ofmedicinal plants, at national, EU andinternational levels, should includesustainability clauses, although as yet none do.

■ Research and educationThere is a need for more research into howbest to achieve sustainable harvesting and tostimulate cultivation.Alternatives tooverexploited species need to be identified to

reduce the pressure on wild sources.There isan urgent need to raise awareness amongherbalists and consumers about the parlousstate of many medicinal plants.At the sametime,many plants used in herbal treatmentsare not endangered, and the problem facingconservationists is how to devise messages tothe public that do not create unnecessaryalarm,while at the same time gaining publicsupport for necessary actions.

■ Support for cultivationThe herbal industry needs to be encouragedto invest in and support the cultivation ofmedicinal plants (for example, through long-term partnerships with growers).The use ofcultivated plants would also increase theindustry’s control over the quality of the finalproduct and in doing so reduce the risk ofadulteration, thus directly addressing currentconcerns over safety and efficacy. Best of all,perhaps, cultivated medicinal plants can beguaranteed to come from a sustainablesource, especially if cultivated under anorganic stewardship scheme, and thereforereduce pressure on the wild resource.However, efforts should be made toencourage and support cultivation of herbsby small-scale farmers, used to stimulateemployment opportunities for formercollectors to avoid the loss of an importantincome source for rural communities acrossthe world.

Part III Recommendations

The unsustainable collection ofliquorice Glycyrrhiza glabra threatensits long-term survival in Turkey andsome other countries.

USEFUL WEBSITES

www.rbgkew.org.uk/peopleplants People andPlants is a partnership of WWF-UK andUNESCO designed to promote thesustainable use of plant resources, and thereconciliation of conservation anddevelopment, by focusing on the interfacebetween people and the world of plants.

www.herbalert.org.uk Herbalert is acampaign, launched by the consumer charityThe Natural Medicines Society, to provideinformation to consumers about the herbalproducts they buy and to steer them toreliable and comprehensive information onmedicinal herbs and their use.The campaignwill also highlight the need for sustainableharvesting, to ensure long-term availabilityand campaign to protect the consumers rightto have access to high quality herbal productsand treatment from qualified medicalherbalists.

FURTHER READING

Balick M.J., Sheldon J. and Laird S.A. (1997)Medicinal Plants: Can Utilisation andConservation Coexist? Scientific PublicationsDepartment,The New York BotanicalGardens Bronx,New York USA.

Behrens J. (2001) Herbalist perspective onwhether the utilisation of medicinal plantsand conservation can co-exist? EuropeanJournal of Herbal MedicineVol 5.

Farnsworth N.R.,Arkerele O. and Bingel A.S.(1985) Potential Consequence on Plant Extinctionin the States on the Current and FutureAvailability of Prescription Drugs, EconomyBotany, 39: 231-240.

Lange D. (1998) Europe’s medicinal andAromatic Plants,Their Use,Trade andConservation.TRAFFIC International,Cambridge,UK.

WHO, IUCN & WWF (1993) Guidelines onthe conservation of medicinal plants. IUCN,Gland, Switzerland.

Laird, S.A. (2002) Biodiversity and TraditionalKnowledge: Equitable Partnerships in Practice.WWF International,UNESCO and the RoyalBotanic Gardens,Kew.

Plantlife International – The Wild Plant Conservation Charity14 Rollestone Street, Salisbury,

Wiltshire, SP1 1DX, UKTel: +44 (0)1722 342730 Fax: +44 (0)1722 329035

e-mail: enquiries@plantlife.org.uk website: www.plantlife.org.uk

To obtain further copies of this report please send payment of £6 (incl’ p&p) to: Plantlife Bookstore, Summerfield Books, Main Street, Brough nr Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria, CA17 4AX

Tel: 01768 341577 Fax: 01768 341687

Plantlife International – The Wild Plant Conservation Charity is a charitable company limited by guarantee.Registered Charity Number: 1059559 Registered Company Number: 3166339

ISBN: 1 904749 - 00 - 3

© January 2004

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