all that is wild around
There is no urban life without wild life.
The food and drink we consume, the cosmetics we use, the clothes we wear: Thousands of everyday products contain ingredients sourced from wild-harvested plants. To be more precise, between 60% and 90% of the medicinal and aromatic plants traded worldwide are collected from the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth and many have been used traditionally for generations by indigenous people and rural communities from all over the world.
Wild harvesting, when done correctly, has the power to preserve our planet's last pristine landscapes while also providing a dignified livelihood to the true stewards of our biodiversity: indigenous communities.
However, the demand for wild plant ingredients has surged, increasing in value by over 75% in the past two decades. This rapid growth in demand puts thousands of harvested species at risk due to both overharvesting and habitat loss. When we factor in our ongoing global warming crisis, it becomes evident that sustainable wild harvesting is now more crucial than ever.
Sustainable wild harvesting means that indigenous and rural communities must receive fair compensation for their efforts and ancient knowledge. If they cannot earn a decent living from wild harvesting, the risk of overharvesting (the practice of extracting resources beyond the natural limits, driven by the necessity to maximize monetary gains) and the departure of the younger generation from these areas increases. This, in turn, often leads to the conversion of the last pristine landscapes on Earth into farmland. This issue is not only vital for conservation but also has a direct impact on city-dwellers. Regardless of our location, our access to food depends on those who earn their livelihoods in rural areas. In essence, urban life is inseparable from rural life.
If people cannot have a dignified livelihood from their indigenous knowledge (such as wild harvesting), they will need to leave the wild in order to find other sources of income, thus interrupting the transfer of traditional knowledge to the next generation. This poses a threat to all of us, highlighting the significance of those in rural regions who are safeguarding our natural resources.
Preserving traditions, such as the ancient practices of collecting frankincense, wild rubber, or myrrh is challenging, if they are not valued in any tangible way. But, thanks to the efforts of dedicated change-makers and a new generation of empowered consumers, there is hope for a more sustainable future.
FairWild, a foundation that assesses both social and biological risks to wild plants, recommends best practices for their sourcing. Many companies advertise this certification, either on the product label or online. If those aren’t listed, consumers should ask companies to demonstrate that their products aren’t harming biodiversity and that harvesters are paid and treated fairly. Greater customer demand for transparency, will help drive company focus. The more companies know that consumers care about the impact and origin of their ingredients, the more those companies will care.
At the end of day, people have the power.
A catalog of wild plants from our everyday life
Jatamansi
Nardostachys jatamansi
Where does it come from? Himalayas, around the cliffs and mountains peaks of Bhutan, China,India, Myanmar and Nepal - exceptional biodiversity hotspots, home to keystone species, includingthe snow leopard.
Where is it found? Medicine, aromas, cosmetics
Use: Indian Spikenard is used in traditional medicine for a wide range of ailments, e.g. in the Amchi medicine. The essential oil obtained from the rhizomes is used as a flavouring agent and in the cosmetic and perfume industries. Rhizomes and dried leaves are used a lot for incense in the Himalaya. The rhizomes and its extracts are also highly valued as an ingredient in hair oil and as a substitute for valerian.
Curiosity: In Sanskrit, jata-mansi translates as ‘dreadlock root for the mind’, named as such for the hairy appearance of its valuable rhizome. The word jatamansi is made up of the words jata meaning twisted lock of hair (Monier-Williams 1899) and mansi, which derives from the wordmanas, meaning mind (Monier-Williams 1899). It is one of the few plants mentioned in the Bible.
How is it harvested? Jatamansi is only found in high mountain areas, so harvesters may travel over multiple days and stay in the mountains overnight during harvest. Harvesters of Jatamansi live in high mountain areas and have culturally relied on wild-collected medicinal plants for their own use and trade for many generations.
Frankincense
Boswellia sacra
Where does it come from? Frankincense is a resinous, evergreen tree that grows to 15 feet tall with papery, peeling bark. While approximately 25 species of Boswellia are found in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and the Arabian Peninsula, B. sacra is native to northern Somalia, Ethiopia, south Yemen and Oman.
Where is it found? Aromatherapy, cosmetics, perfumery, traditional medicine, incense
Use: The gum-resin produced from B. sacra is used for burning as incense. It is distilled to yield volatile oils in perfumery, and to a lesser degree in the preparation of traditional medicines as an anti- inflammatory agent and for wound healing.
Curiosity: Two millennia ago, frankincense was as valuable as gold, hence the Bible story of its presentation to the baby Jesus by the three wise men. Frankincense has been used in cosmetics since ancient times. A black powder, kohl, was made of charred frankincense and used by Egyptian women to paint their eyelids.
How is it harvested? The traditional process of harvesting frankincense involves local harvesters making incisions in Boswellia trees using a metal tool and returning weeks later to collect the resin that seeped out from the tree. Typically men make the incisions and collect the resin while women sort and process it. This is a meticulous and labor intensive process as harvesters have to make specific types of cuts in the bark of hundreds of trees and sort kilo upon kilo of resin. An individual typically harvests 100 kilos of resin each season.
Sage
Salvia officinalis
Where does it come from? Native in coastal regions of the western Balkan and southern Apennine Peninsulas.
Where is it found? Food, aromatherapy and cosmetics.
Use: Sage is an important domestic herbal remedy for disorders of the digestive system. It also has antiseptic qualities and is used as a remedy against gingivitis and mucosal inflammation of the mouth and the throat. The leaves and the essential oil are used as spice. The essential oil is also used in cosmetics.
Curiosity: The Cherokee Indians employed sage as a remedy for colds and coughs, and for asthma, by combining sage leaves with honey. The term "sage" originates from the Latin word 'salvus,' meaning health.
The Aztecs ground sage seeds to create a beverage known as 'chianzotzolatoli.' In Mexico, sage is still utilized to make beverages infused with lemon and sugar. The tradition of burning sage for purifying individuals, groups, and spaces has been observed cross-culturally for many decades. Numerous Native American cultures continue to engage in this ritual to this day.
How is it harvested? Sage leaves are collected just before flowering because they have the most active substances then.
Dandelion
Taraxacum officinale
Where does it come from? While dandelion have naturalized throughout much of the world, the species is native to northern temperate zones, including most of Europe, parts of northern Africa (e.g., Morocco), and parts of Asia (mainly western Asia).
Where is it found? Western medical herbalism, food and beverages and cosmetics
Use: Dandelion is used as a diuretic and as an appetite-stimulating bitter tonic. It is applied externally for eczema and other skin conditions. Also used as a vegetable and processed into different food products.
Curiosity: Stories about dandelions have been told by the Native Peoples of Turtle Island for thousands of years. Dandelion has Persian and East Indian ethnobotanical uses as a mild laxative and appetite stimulant, and for the treatment of urinary problems, liver conditions, and digestive issues. It also has been used orally to treat snakebites and externally for wounds, boils, sprains, and swelling.
How is it harvested?
The best time to harvest dandelion leaves is during early spring when the rapidly growing leaves are most tender. The flower heads should be plucked by hand, after the plant has bloomed. This period stretches from mid-spring to summer.
Nettle
Urtica dioica
Where does it come from? Originally native to Europe, much of temperate Asia and western North Africa
Where is it found? Food and beverages, traditional medicine, textiles and fibres
Use: The leaves and roots of the common nettle are used against rheumatism and inflammation of the urinary tract. Dried roots or root extracts are used to treat the symptoms of an enlarged prostate. Young leaves are used as food and dried leaves for tea. Chlorophyll is extracted and used as a green colouring agent. The stem is used for making string and cloth.
Curiosity: Nettle use has been recorded as far back as the Bronze Age (3000 BCE – 1200 BCE), and it is still used in herbalism today. Between 58 and 45 BCE, there are records of nettle’s stinging properties assisting Julius Caesar’s troops in helping them stay awake and alert during the night. Aside from its use in herbal supplements, nettle has also been popularly used as a textile. Similar to textiles made from flax, nettle can be made into different textures, from silky to coarse. Nettle fabric also has the ability to be dyed or bleached like cotton. It was a common household textile in Scoland during the 16th and 17th centuries.
How is it harvested? The optimal harvest time for Urtica dioica varies based on its intended use. If the plant is intended for use in its fresh state, it is recommended to harvest in spring or early summer. Early-season leaves can be used as a fresh vegetable or dried for tea. While older leaves are less ideal for harvesting, they are generally still suitable for making tea or tinctures.
Juniper
Juniperus communis
Where does it come from? It is native in most of Europe, in the western parts of Northern Africa, in most of the Caucasus and Middle Asia, in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, China, the Russian Federation, Eastern Asia, and North America.
Where is it found? Food and beverages, essential oil, cosmetics, traditional medicines, incence
Use: The fruits of common juniper are used as flavouring agent, for making gin, and as an essential oil. The fruits are also used medicinally to treat digestive disorders and kidney and bladder problems and as an incense.
Curiosity: Some Indigenous peoples of the Americas use juniper in traditional medicine, for instance the Dineh (Navajo) use it for diabetes. Juniper ash has also been historically consumed as a source of calcium by the Navajo people.
Juniper is traditionally used in Scottish folkloric and Gaelic Polytheist saining rites, such as those performed at Hogmanay (New Year), where the smoke of burning juniper, accompanied by traditional prayers and other customary rites, is used to cleanse, bless, and protect the household and its inhabitants.
Local people in Lahaul Valley present juniper leaves to their deities as a folk tradition. It is also useful as a folk remedy for pains and aches, as well as epilepsy and asthma. They are reported to collect large amounts of juniper leaves and wood for building and religious purposes.
How is it harvested? Juniper should be collected from about September through to December. They should be blue when ready. Cones are not always produced every year as they may take two seasons to ripen completely.
At the end of day, people have the power.
This article was made possible through the wisdom and research of Traffic, the FairWild Foundation, and Rachel Fobar.