Enhancement of medicinal plant biodiversity in Lithuanian rural areas

Abstract

Lithuania has long traditions of medicinal plants use. Geographical, climatic conditions, cultural and political changes through the centuries strongly influenced the traditional use of medicinal plants found in the wild or being cultivated locally. Since 2008 the craft of herbalist was listed in the Law of Lithuanian Traditional Crafts and so cultivation, collection, storing and preparation of specific medicinal plants was officially approved. Our new scientific project supported by United Nations Development Programme Global Environment Facility Small Grants programme aims to develop sustainable farming methods and new cultivation of medicinal plants activities in Lithuanian rural areas. The activities were developed in two different geographical locations. One site is located in Babrungas and focuses on cultivation and protection of rare medicinal plants. The second farm of Panara is located in the protected area of Dzukija National park and aims to cultivate medicinal plants in environmentally friendly way. Both projects are focusing on creation of new green spaces rich in biodiversity and revealing abundance of medicinal and aromatic plants. Education activities offered on the sites aim to improve children and adults knowledge in medicinal plants, competences in natural sciences, invite to take care of human and environmental health. Medicinal plants raw materials grown and prepared in the sites are further investigated by the scientists of Vytautas Magnus University to perform the quantitative and qualitative biological, anatomical and phytochemical analyses of raw materials in order to assess biological productivity, influence of meteorological factors to plant development, relevance of these medicinal plants for food and pharmaceutical use. [...]