h - Which NWFP might be new alternative crops for Mediterranean forests and rangelands?

Medicinal and aromatic plants of rocky pastures on the northern Adriatic islands

Immortelle

One of the preconditions for successful cultivation and increase of production of medicinal and aromatic plants in Croatia is in any case knowledge of their ecological characteristics. However, previous studies of medicinal and aromatic plants in Croatia have not systematically included the islands of Krk, Cres and Pag, despite the fact that these islands are areas of plant richness. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to determine the abundance and diversity and ecological characteristics of wild medicinal and aromatic plants of the rocky pastures of these islands.

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.