Commercial wild collection of medicinal plants – the situation in Poland

Abstract

Poland is the second biggest exporter of medicinal plant material in Europe. What is important 25% of it is collected in nature. Twice more species (nearly 140) are coming from wild collection then from cultivation. Among them are highly desired on the European phytopharmaceutical market but hardly cultivated species like typical for fen meadows Menyanthes trifoliata or Acorus calamus. Generally, the potential of collection plant material from habitats and ecosystems, kept in well conditions, is even bigger. The great amount of collection is realized in North-Eastern Poland, region with the significant concentration of extensively used grasslands. Sometimes the activity is the main occupation for local people or additional, important source of income for farmers. The study shows that monitoring and documentation of the wild collection practice is limited for example to forest or protected species. Better assessment of place, volumes and way of collection could profit from economic, social as well as environmental side.