Traditional and Wild revitalising traditions of sustainable wild plant harvesting

Up to 90% of these species are still collected from the wild. From the middle of the 20th century to the present day, traditional knowledge concerning the properties and use of many of these wild plants has been in decline due to urbanization, changes in land ownership, and ever changing lifestyle choices. Nowadays, wild plant collection is sometimes performed in an unsustainable manner, leading to the further decline of wild harvesting as an important source of employment and income for vulnerable groups in the long-term.

This report presents a description of the project ‘Traditional and wild: Promoting traditional collection and use of wild plants to reduce social and economic disparities in Central Europe’ implemented by nine organizations from Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, and Poland. The project aimed to protect the cultural heritage of collecting and processing useful wild plants, and to foster the sustainable use of this traditional knowledge and expertise among vulnerable groups; particularly the ethnic Roma populations, the elderly, and women, in rural parts of Central Europe.

As part of the project, a transnational model1 to support the marginalized groups through involving them in wild collection of plants was developed. This involved helping them to obtain necessary information, and engaging in the collection, processing and marketing of valuable wild plants.

The model also involved target groups acquiring the necessary skills to make a living, or at least supplement their finances in the short term from wild plant collection. The model was tested in six pilot areas selected for the project. By implementing this model, the project introduced new management techniques which are essential not only in generating income for vulnerable groups, but also in easing any existing social tensions in the general population in the long-term.

The project demonstrated that a transnational model would be applicable across the Central European region and beyond. The project contributed to building the local capacity among these target groups so that in the long term they may also better contribute to the local and regional economy.

The project contributed to ensuring the sustainable harvesting and use of plants collected from the wild in pilot areas through the implementation of FairWild Standard principles. Moreover, the project helped to protect the cultural heritage of collecting and processing useful wild plants, and to foster the sustainable use of the traditional knowledge and expertise among vulnerable groups in rural parts of CE via a wide range of transnational tools and strategies developed within the project framework.