International Standard for Sustainable Wild Collection of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (ISSC-MAP)

Spices Food Uses of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants MedicinesCosmetics Source: U. Schippmann ISSC-MAP: The focus is on the species!

Important Facts 50,000 – 70,000 medicinal and aromatic plants are estimated to be used world- wide. Some 3,000 MAP species are traded internationally. Ressource under pressure: About 15,000 medicinal plant species may be threatened to some degree world-wide (IUCN). Resource under pressure: About 15,000 medicinal plant species may be threatened to some degree world-wide (IUCN).

 Most MAP species are now – and will continue to be – wild collected!  Cultivation cannot be the principal solution to over-harvesting! Ca. 900 MAP species are commercially cultivated. Photo: Yan Zhijian Estimation of wild collection (70)-90% in terms of species numbers 50-(70%) in terms of quantity Production of MAP !Make wild collection sustainable! Photo: B. Pätzold

Challenges for a Standard on Sustainable Wild Collection of MAP Unique circumstances of ecology, habitat, and pressures on resource for each species Harvesting techniques: Questions about “how to” collect wild MAP sustainably Uncertainty about annual sustained yield

Challenges for a Standard on Sustainable Wild Collection of MAP Large number of products, uses, and markets Proliferation of labels and claims regarding sustainability without means for validation Long and complex supply chains – difficult to trace product back to its source

? ? Management Plans for Species and Regions Devils Claw Namibia Arnica Romania Bearberry Russia Ratanhia Peru Guidelines for MAP Conservation, Production, Quality Control (= general recommendations) WHO GACP WHO IUCN WWF Conservation Guideline The missing link: set of rules to define, implement, and evaluate good management practices ISSC-MAP

Existing Frameworks & Gaps Ecosystem Management e.g. Forest – FSC Organic Agriculture – IFOAM, Demeter Health and Safety e.g. GACP – AHPA, EMEA, WHO Equity e.g. Fair trade – FLO Access and Benefit Sharing regime, FairWild Species Conservation & Sustainable Use

Legal Adoption & Policy CITES Development Implementation 2007-…. Process Drafting Voluntary Codes of Practice Consultation Resource Management Certification Development Cooperation Information & Training ISSC-MAP Plant Product People & Politics Testing

ISSC-MAP – Purpose To ensure the continued use and long-term survival of medicinal and aromatic plant (MAP) species and populations in their habitats, while respecting the traditions, cultures and livelihoods of all stakeholders.

ISSC-MAP – Objectives To provide a framework of principles and criteria that can be applied to the management of MAP species and their ecosystems To provide guidance for management planning To serve as a basis for monitoring and reporting, and To recommend requirements for certification of sustainable wild collection of MAPs.

ISSC-MAP Version 1.0 (2007): 3 Levels 6 Principles 18 Criteria 100+ Indicators Press launch BioFach, Nuremburg, Germany Febr 07 1st release in North America at Natural Products Expo West, March 07 Available online at

ISSC-MAP Version 1.0: 6 Principles Maintaining Wild Map Resources Preventing Negative Environmental Impacts Respecting Customary Rights Applying Responsible Management Practices Applying Responsible Business Practices Compliance with Laws, Regulations, and Agreements Wild collection and conservation requirements Legal and ethical requirements Management and business practices

Implementation „Get dirt on it!“ – Implementation projects → Promotion → Awareness raising → Consultation → Fundraising What we need: Strong partners Private Sector Development Cooperation Agencies Certifiers Country authorities Resource managers, communities Photos: G. Kinhal, B. Pätzold, F. Barsch,

Implementation Phase I ( ) Aims Demonstrate benefits for on-the-ground operations and for MAP / habitat conservation Detect challenges and obstacles Provide sound cost calculations of ISSC-MAP implementation in a variety of different environments and under different conditions Develop further guidance documents Develop implementation reports to draw recommendations for the update of the ISSC-MAP Provide case studies to enhance the ISSC-MAP‘s profile Find ways to link the ISSC-MAP to existing standards

Implementation Projects Brazil Model implementation at community level in Acre, Amazon Nepal Use of ISSC-MAP in conservation areas and buffer zones managed by local communities India Uttarakhand: ISSC-MAP Implementation along the mandi trade chain Cambodia Identification of priority species and development of a local model implementation project Lesotho Development of a regional management plan for Pelargonium sidoides together with national authorities Bosnia-Herzegovina Implementation of the ISSC-MAP in co- operation with partners from the local private sector and government authorities China Inclusion of ISSC- MAP into the development of regional resource management

Implementation Projects Step-wise approach: Situation analysis (ecologial, social, cultural aspects) with local stakeholders/target group involvement `Translation´of ISSC-MAP contents into local context Interim management decisions and collection protocols leading to regular resource assessments and monitoring Training and capacity building Development of a management plan Periodic review In the field – Variety of situations: Photos: G. Kinhal, D. Cole

Who benefits from a widely accepted, credible standard? Industry  sustainable resource use and corporate social and environmental responsibility Resource managers  guidelines for MAP protection, harvest, and monitoring Collectors  insurance against resource and market failures Consumers  reliability of claims about ecological sustainability and fair trade Species and habitats  maintain biodiversity

ISSC-MAP Project website: Decision Board: Danna J. Leaman (IUCN-SSC Medicinal Plant Specialist Group) (MPSG) Susanne Honnef (WWF Germany and TRAFFIC) Uwe Schippmann (German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation) Giridhar A. Kinhal (Foundation for the Revitalization of Local Health Traditions, India) Rainer Bächi (Institute for Market Ecology IMO, Switzerland) Josef Brinckmann (Traditional Medicinals Inc., USA) Ximena Buitrón Cisneros (IUCN MPSG) Secretariat: Britta Pätzold, Susanne Honnef (WWF Germany and TRAFFIC, Johann-Wolfgang- Goethe University Frankfurt)

ISSC-MAP Project website: Implementation Project Co-ordinators: Brasil: Ximena Buitrón Cisneros (IUCN MPSG, Quito) Cambodia: Chris Turton (TRAFFIC Vietnam) India: Giridhar A. Kinhal and Samir Sinha (TRAFFIC India), Lesotho/South Africa: David Newton (TRAFFIC SA) Nepal: Indu Bikal Sapkota (WWF Nepal) SEE, Bosnia-Herzegovina: Anastasiya Timoshyna (TRAFFIC HU) and Sladjana Bundalo