Case studies tagged with aromatics

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"Aromas del Encinar - AROEN": aromatic and medicinal plants from Madrid municipality rural areas

Holm oak forest

“Aromas del encinar - AROEN”, in Spanish language,  literally means “aromas from the holm oak forests” and is a family-run project born with the aim to enhance the sustainable management of this ecosystem, very frequent in the Madrid municipality. In fact, this ecosystem, in the last decades,  has been often abandoned due to low profitability. The project is based on strong resource management and biodiversity conservation plan, promoting wild-collected aromatic and medicinal plant goods.


Seed Propagation Techniques of Myrtus communis L.

Flowers and leaves of Myrtus

The Myrtus communis L. is an endemic species appreciated traditionally for its medicinal and aromatic properties. Improving the multiplication and propagation methods of the common myrtle is the most important objective of this paper. The work was held to conserve the species and its decreasing populations due to the lake of management, overcutting and Anthropozoic pressure in its location area. 


A territorial and multi-stakeholder organization for sustainable harvesting of Arnica in its mountain stubble habitat (Hautes Vosges)

Signature of the Arnica convention of Hautes Vosges between the actors involved, in 2016.

A multi-stakeholder approach has been initiated in the Hautes Vosges on stubble in the Markstein - Grand Ballon sector to preserve the resource of Arnica montana ssp montana and its natural habitat (the "high stubble"), to maintain the economic issues that represents its picking, while reconciling the other uses of high altitude grasslands where this plant grows : cattle grazing, grass harvest, outdoor sports (skiing, gliding).


Impact of the production method on the gentian resource and its regeneration - The sustainable development approach of the Gentian sector

Large population of gentian on a meadow in the Massif Central (France).

The Yellow Gentian (Gentiana lutea) is a wild plant harvested for its roots at the age of 20 to 30 years old. It is highly valued but little protected. A large part of the production is exported from the source in its raw state. The "Mission for the sustainable management of gentian resources in the Massif Central", a project promoted by the harvesters, helps the different members of the sector to organize themselves to work on good production practices and to ensure the sustainable use of the plant. This work is enhanced by a parallel project to create a "Sustainable Gentian"...



Improvement and development possibilities in cultivation of aromatic and medicinal plants

Producer of AMP

In most cases, the cultivation and production of lavender in Croatia is not a permanent job, but rather small plantations that generate additional household income. A large proportion of small producers, therefore, sell raw materials or semi-finished products resulting in lower economic profits. If they were able to produce the final product and market it then the economic profit would be higher. Increasing economic profit would certainly be a good incentive to increase production, and thus growing aromatic and medicinal plants would become a core business and would no longer be a hobby or...


Feed Additives: Aromatic Plants and Herbs in Animal Nutrition and Health

Feed Additives: Aromatic Plants and Herbs in Animal Nutrition and Health

Nature has been the source of aromatic plants and herbs for thousands of years, and their use as medicines, enhancers of food aroma, preservatives, or cosmetics is well known from antiquity. However, the great development of animal product industry, in combination with the growing consumers’ demand for higher quality and more environmentally friendly products during the later years, led the food industry to begin to search for alternative solutions in animal nutrition. The introduction of aromatic plants as natural feed additives can be considered as one of them.


Feasibility of small crops of wild medicinal and aromatic plants

Comercial cultivation of arnica (Arnica montana),  edelweis (Leontopodium alpinum) and marigold (Calendula officinalis) by Taüllorgànics company in the Catalan Pyrenees mountains (Taüll, LLeida, Spain). Autor: Taüllorgànics.

 The production of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) from wild collection or by cultivation raises environmental, social and economic issues. The demand for a wide variety of wild species is increasing with the growth of human needs and trade. There is an awareness that many wild plants are being overexploited, which many experts recommend incorporating into cropping systems, but several aspects that determine their viability have to be taken into account. An alternative is small-scale cultivation.


Energy value of Eucalyptus cultivated in Tunisia

Coal minning at Cap Bon

In rural areas of Tunisia, the average wood consumption per household and per year is between 1.8 and 5.9 tones. The highest consumption was noted in the forest regions of Sejnane, Boussalem and Jendouba. Results show that traditional bread baking represents 60 to 70% of the percentage of wood consumed in households. With a view to satisfying the increasingly growing needs for firewood and charcoal in rural areas, we have initiated a selection research program oriented towards more intensive wood production including wood that can be used for energy purposes. In this work, we propose to...


Tourist valorization of aromatic cultures in contemporary tourism

Permanent exhibition of the pharmacy exhibition in Istria

The subject of this research is aromatic, medicinal and spicy cultures as part of cultural heritage and tradition. The research goal is to examine the possibilities of developing cultural, rural, health and wellness tourism based on cultural heritage. All these forms of tourism are developing rapidly because they have an important economic, social, cultural, educational and scientific role. Istria as part of Croatia belong to the Mediterranean area, the cradle of aromatic, medicinal and spicy cultures that can significantly contribute to the creation of new tourist attractions and product...


Aromatic and Medicinal Plants Traceability System

Trace-me.org scheme

The purpose of the traceability system is to link the final product made from aromatic or medicinal plants to the place of origin, specie of origin, method of harvesting, harvester, processor and producer.  By having a QR code placed on a particular end product, the consumer can easily obtain more information than those described on the label of the product, and can choose which product is most relevant to their needs.


Methodology to assess the situation of a medicinal and aromatic plant species to apply a sustainable management in a specific context

High density wild heather population (Calluna vulgaris) in Galicia (Spain). Source: GPAM-CTFC.

A large number of the medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) on the market come from wild collection and some of them are being overexploited or exploited without following proper practices. Establishing an adequate management could maintain the use of some species without compromising their conservation and obtain a benefit for the rural community.

In order to collect, it is necessary to evaluate the situation of that species in the place where it is going to be collected to estimate if it can be considered a “resource” or not, and to do it following an adequate methodology.



Cooperatively design and manufacture tools for small-scale agricultural production

Lab works

Tzoumakers is an open lab for communities to cooperatively design and manufacture tools for small-scale agricultural production. Our vision is to create such sites in both villages and cities where citizens may seize technology into their own hands. These sites may be supported by municipalities and/or by multi-stakeholder cooperatives.


A comprehensive training program for AMP exploitation

Sideritis essential oil produced by our school

During the last years there has been a growing interest from young people to get involved in the AMP exploitation business. The rich Greek flora and the plenty of abandoned agricultural fields in rural areas offer a great potential in this direction. However, most of the young farmers/entrepreneurs didn’t have a relative experience in the field and there has been many fails and disappointments.


Control and certification of ecological medicinal and aromatic plants in Croatia

Immortelle plantation

The role and importance of organic production lie in the sustainable management of natural resources (preserves soil fertility, flora and fauna, water and atmosphere), forbids the use of chemical means of protection and fertilizers, restoring balance to nature and thus preserves biodiversity, encourages rural development and facilitates the development of small family farms, contributes to the development of eco-tourism and eco-villages and thus links agricultural, tourism and craft activities.


What solutions for the certification of wild AMP picking? Prospective study within the FloreS project.

Project FloreS

The FloreS project has allowed the organization of a participative workshop, to analyse different types of labelling and certification that could meet the guarantees expected for wild plants’ picking. This workshop brought together researchers, certifying bodies, referent pickers and other stakeholders from the AMP sector.

Benefits and limits of third-party certification have been discussed, as well as options about participatory guarantee systems have been analysed. These element contributed to the construction of a charter for responsible professional pickers.


Evaluation of the biological activities of natural extract from some species of Portulaca grown in Tunisia

Morphological aspect of Portulaca (INRGREF, 2016)

Purslane is known for her gastronomic and medicinal excellences effects. It is considered a miraculous plant with healing properties (Hwess.H et al., 2017). It is very used in traditional medicine, but not well exploited in the pharmaceutical industry. In order to raise awareness also on this wild plant, we have decided to compare many provenances of puslane, using maceration extraction.


Traditional collection and use of medicinal plants in the Knin area

Artemisia absinthium L.

In the past, herbs were the only cure for the disease, and learning about herbs was based only on human experience. They found the medicine in their environment, where they learned to recognize the plants and to determine how to use it. Knowledge and experience have been passed down from generation to generation, so today there are many who, thanks to the knowledge and experience of their loved ones, have become successful users and growers of medicinal plants, although unfortunately some of the knowledge about medicinal plants has probably fallen into oblivion, given that no one ever...


A practical guide to seed multiplication of Anthyllis barba-Jovis L.

Anthyllis barba-jovis from Tabarka region, North-West of Tunisia

Anthyllis barba-jovis is a rare evergreen shrub belonging to the family of Fabaceae and could be found in different habitats, especially along steep rocky cliffs. It is an endemic species originating from the west-central regions of the Mediterranean basin. It’s located in France, Italy, Croatia, Algeria, and Tunisia and grows on low altitudes of the Mediterranean littoral rocks. The main objective of this work is to control the seed propagation techniques of Anthyllis barba-Jovis L.


The selection of Eucalyptus with a melliferous vacation in humid and arid environments

Boxes to collect honey (Sejnene-Bizerte) & Eu.camaldulensis (Rimel-Bizerte)

This work aims to promote beekeeping activity in rural areas where eucalyptus can play a leading role as nectar species. This objective necessarily involves the identification of eucalyptus species of melliferous interest and the selection of the most successful species in terms of abundance of flowering, its duration, and its spreading throughout the year.


Lignite mine reclamation through cultivation of AMP

Lavender cultivation

Electric power production from coal combustion still accounts for a great proportion of total energy production in Europe. The Public Power Corporation S.A is the largest power producer and distributor in Greece and for more than 70 years manages a great coal mining area, the Lignite Center of Western Macedonia. The coal mining procedure leads to the formation of disturbed lands in coal mines, mainly in the places of soil depositions, the implication of a viable reclamation practice of whom is very critical.


Bar-HRM traceability of plants in food and medicine

H2020 MSCA-ITN-ETN Plant.ID network

Barcoding is an important tool towards the solution of traceability issues. Plant.ID is a collaborative network within Europe and addresses the challenges of plant identification in 15 different projects. We focus on common edible, poisonous, allergenic and pharmaceutical plants of the Greek flora. Through sequencing of barcoding regions and metabarcoding techniques, specific barcoding markers will be developed to be used either with PCR and/or with the High Resolution Melting Analysis for species-specific identification.


Prospecting wild populations of Rosmarinus officinalis in Spain

Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) wild population

The project objective was to identify chemically different Rosmarinus officinalis wild populations present in the Spanish geography in order to be able to choose those that present a higher essential oil concentration with an interesting chemical composition for the industry uses.

Identify these wild populations is the starting point for initiating any breeding program to obtain commercial varieties that can be put into large scale cultivation to satisfy quantity and quality industrial demand. 


Don’t forget to use wild edible herbs and fruits

Wild edible herbs salad

Wild species must be recovered and their uses incorporated daily as normal. We must document the traditional uses of vegetation and promote actions aimed at citizens to publicise them. The research and dissemination axes are essential, but they must be accompanied by the development of business models that also allow the commercialisation of products. In Catalonia (Spain) there are several associations and companies that work to value them, either in the gastronomic field or as a tourist activity.


Project PyCup: responsible practices for professional picking. An example of sustainable supply in AMP value chain

Allium ursinum

The PyCuP project is supporting the Pyrenean stakeholders in their reflexion and efforts toward a regulation of picking practices, for a sustainable valuation of the local wild plant resources. It aims at answering the main questions of the public about the role of such activities in a “wild mountain”. Therefore, the project creates awareness about the issues of these natural resources’ exploitation.



The co-management of forest resources in Tunisia: A new approach for sustainable development in the sector of AMP

The co-management of forest resources in Tunisia

In Tunisia all forest areas are public: in order to use forest products, producers and firms should go through a tendering system subject to Article 18 of the Tunisian forestry code, organized each year by the Tunisian Forestry authority. Small firms and the local populations are facing many difficulties to use available resources legally.  The DGF is promoting a new form of sustainable management for forest resources: Concluding contracts between the organized local community and the administration to improve their livelihood and to protect forestal areas. 


Medicinal Plants of Epirus

http://mediplantepirus.med.uoi.gr/pharmacology_en/

Under this framework, the Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, UOI, developed a web database of medicinal plants of the region of Epirus and the mainland of Greece, that contain all basic information related to the morphology of the herbs, official and popular names, taxonomy, pharmacological properties, side effects and toxicity, etc.

The users can retrieve information related to a particular medicinal plant using its official or popular name, the active compound of  interest, the disease to be treated, or the region the herb grows. For every herb there are...


Closterocerus chamaeleon a biological control agent of the eucalyptus gall wasp Ophelimus maskelli

Female Ophelimus maskelli & Female Closterocerus chamaeleon

Among essential oils, Eucalyptus oil, is one of the most useful as it is easily extractable commercially (industrial value) and possesses a wide range of desirable properties worth exploiting for pest management. Eucalyptus oils are mainly extracted from leaves which can be attacked by gall wasps as Ophelimus maskelli. Induced galls can affect the essential oil production.

This work aims to determine the role of the parasitoid Closterocerus chamaeleon in the biological control of its host O. maskelli.


Essential oils of Eucalyptus: Comparative performance and promotion of their use

1. Leaves and flowers of Eucalyptus lehmannii – Arboretum of Korbous / 2.Leaves and flowers of Eucalyptus gillii – Arboretum of HajebLayoun / 3.  Leaves and flowers of Eucalyptus leucoxylon – Arboretum of Korbous

The current exploitation of rosemary and myrtle (native species with relatively high yield of EO) occupies an important place in the forestry sector and a significant socio-economic interest. Eucalyptus trees can play a predominant and substantial role thanks to their richness in essential oils, their composition and their commercial value.

This objective necessarily involves the identification of eucalyptus EO species and the selection of the most efficient in terms of the yield of essential oils and the presence of the most dominant active compounds which are preferentially sought...


Modelling seed germination of five species of Eucalyptus to facilitate optimal reforestation

E.saligna morphological aspect  (A: fruit, B: seed, C: plant (6months after seed sowing) (INRGREF, 2016))

Eucalyptus is an enormous and fascinating genus with over 700 species. Most of Eucalyptus species are known as aromatic plants and with medicinal and melliferous uses. Therefore, it’s important to valorize and ensure a continuous regeneration of Eucalyptus species. In this prospect, the main focus of this work was to evaluate seeds viability used to regenerate forests and in order to elevate its production of NWFP.


Experiences and issues in growing and harvesting lavender

Manual harvesting of lavender

For the most part, growing lavender in Croatia comes down to small producers who make it an extra household income. Collecting lavender is the most important part of production because it provides raw material for later processing. Manual harvesting of lavender generate its yield as only the top part of the plant with the highest concentration of essential oil is harvested. The problem with mechanical harvesting is that the machine is not so precise and cannot be adjusted to collect only the top parts of the plant.


Transform local and traditional recipes into a range of health, wellness and gourmet products; example of Abies Lagrimus

The main objective of the brand Abies Lagrimus is the rehabilitation of some Pyrenean traditional recipes through ranges of innovative products. These products come from natural resources, growing in the mountainous Pyrenean area. In this sector, cultural traditions are still very present. In order to guarantee the sustainability of the resources, the harvesting conditions are controlled and its recovery is respectful of the territory’s specificities (regional Natural Park).


Seasonal variation of antioxidative molecules and antioxidant activities of Rosmarinus officinalis, Erica Multiflora and Cistus monspeliensis in Tunisia

Distribution of Rosmarinus officinalis, Erica Multiflora and Cistus monspeliensis in natural Tunisian Aleppo pine forest.

In light of the great global interest in PAM as a source of active ingredients. So, it is important to investigate the impact of seasonal variation on Rosmarinus officinalis, Erica Multiflora and Cistus monspeliensis by evaluating of some biochemical responses in three sites Mount of Zaghouan (DZ), Mount of Mansour (DM) and Mount of Sarej (DS) and to compare their behavior in the three seasons (spring, summer and autumn).


Antioxidant potential of Pinus nigra Arn needles

P. nigra trials in Souiniet

Pine species are considered as a natural source of antioxidant compounds. Pinus nigra Arnold is one of the most known medicinal plants in the Mediterranean countries. The aim of this study was to determine, for the first time, the bioactive compounds such as the total phenols, flavonoids and tannins and to evaluate the antioxidant potential of needles collected from nineteen samples corresponding to different provenances of black pine from different regions which have been planted and grown in Northwestern Tunisia.


An example of good practice in the aromatic and medicinal plants sector

Mellisa officinalis L.

In order to attract new customers, especially foreign buyers, it is necessary to move away from the usual things and take a step forward. The advancement of technology enables customers to easily access the Internet and inform themselves about various products, and can easily buy it through the web store. It is therefore important to provide customers with something new that is not so common and to tell them the story of the product and to provide them with an overall experience that will go beyond just buying the product.


Good practice guide for sustainable harvesting of wild plants

The main objective of this guide and its booklets for each species is to provide the pickers with knowledge of specific aromatics and medicinal plants and to serve as support for their training to adopt respectful practices guaranteeing sustainable management of the natural resources.

Its construction is based on a collection of knowledge and practices of pickers, analyzed with a group of scientists with regard to sustainable resource management (threats and renewal challenges).

The objective is also to enhance the picking profession by disseminating its knowledge and know-...


Cooperation to reach the market of wild medicinal and aromatic plants

Baskets of hawthorn fruit (Crataegus monogyna) harvested in France by AFC members. Source:

The production of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) has interesting growth prospects, but the atomization of farms hinders their business development, having to bet on a cooperative model, that facilitates the transformation and commercialisation. This is an issue that affecting both agricultural production and wild exploitation. This factsheet presents the needs of the stakeholders and some success stories.