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The role of traditional management practices in enhancing sustainable use and conservation of medicinal plants in West Usambara Mountains, Tanzania [ pages 88-105 ]Tuli S Msuya1 and Jafari R Kideghesho2*
2 Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), P.O. Box 3073, Morogoro, Tanzania. Abstract The study on importance of traditional practices in conservation of medicinal plants in West Usambara Mountains, Tanzania was conducted by using focus group discussions, interviews, participant observation, and botanical survey. Nine traditional practices for conservation of wild plants were identified as domestication; beliefs in sacredness of trees; beliefs in sacred forests; respect of cultural forests; protection of plants at the burial sites; selective harvesting; secrecy; collection of deadwood for firewood, and use of energy-saving traditional stoves. Through botanical surveys of sacred forests, cultural forests, farms/homesteads, and burial sites, some 1,518 wild plants belonging to 100 species were identified. A large proportion (85%) of these plants had medicinal value. Of the 173 respondents, 82%, 81%, 74%, and 71% believed that sustainable use and conservation of medicinal plants can be achieved through secrecy, plant protection at burial sites, sacredness of plants and domestication, respectively. About 89% of the respondents pursued domestication (at least five plants each) and 70% had retained sacred trees (at least one tree each), of which the majority had medicinal value. Few respondents were aware of the positive role played by sacred forests and cultural forests (38% and 21%, respectively) in conservation of medicinal plants. It is concluded that the traditional management practices have a significant role in the conservation of biodiversity. This conservation role has a direct connection with human health since most of the plant species have medicinal value, which a majority of the rural people rely on. The paper recommends that traditional management practices should be encouraged since they serve a dual purpose as important conservation strategy and as an essential component of primary health care. Full Text PDF General interest news article General interest summaries (when available)
Portuguese: Uso Sustentável e Conservação de Plantas Medicinais no Oeste das Montanhas Usambara, Tanzânia. Práticas tradicionais contribuem para a conservação de plantas medicinais no Oeste das Montanhas Usambara, Tanzânia, relatam Tuli S Msuya e Jafari R Kideghesho no volume de Março da revista de livre acesso Tropical Conservation Science. Essas práticas são domesticação; crença em árvores sagradas; crença em florestas sagradas; respeito às culturas florestais; proteção de plantas em cemitérios; exploração seletiva; segredos; coleção de madeira morta para lenha e; uso de energia evitando fogões tradicionais. Entretanto, as plantas medicinais estão desaparecendo cada vez mais, não somente porque elas são altamente requisitadas para os cuidados primários com a saúde, mas também porque elas cobrem diversas outras finalidades como comércio, alimento, madeira, lenha e construção de pólos. A limpeza da terra (para agricultura, assentamentos e outros desenvolvimentos) e fogo acidental e deliberado também contribuem para a perda dessas espécies. Em conclusão, esses autores não consideram o papel das práticas de manejo tradicionais no aumento da conservação da biodiversidade e como ferramenta para assegurar os cuidados primários à saúde. [translated by Marina Lapenta] Spanish: Practicas tradicionales y conservación de plantas medicinales en Tanzania. El conocimiento y practicas tradicionales en el uso de plantas medicinales por la gente de areas rurales puede ser un factor poderoso en la conservación en la conservación de la biodiversidad local señalan Tuli S Msuya and Jafari R Kideghesho en un reporte publicado en la edición de Marzo de la revista de acceso abierto (Open Access Journal) Tropical Conservation Science. Los autores estudiaron el uso tradicional de plantas medicinales en comunidades en la región montañosa oriental del Usambara en Tanzania. Señalan que muchas plantas de uso medicinal se están extinguiendo localmente como resultado de la deforestación, la agricultora e incendios intencionados, así como por la demanda de mercado proveniente de zonas urbanas. Sin embargo, segmentos de las poblaciones de estas plantas se han conservado como resultado de prácticas culturales que las designan como sagradas debido a que se presentan en áreas de cementerios, en bosques designados como sagrados y como bosques culturales. Asi, Tuli S Msuya and Jafari R Kideghesho señalan que las practicas culturales en la region acopladas al uso tradicional de las plantas medicinales favorecen la conservación de la biodiversidad y ademas continuyen herramientas para asegurar la salud de la población local. The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of other authors or Tropical Conservation Science. |
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Tropical Conservation Science is an open-access e-journal that publishes research relating to conservation of tropical forests and other tropical ecosystems.
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