Medicinal Plants: Towards Extinction

Nature has gifted Kashmir Himalaya with huge diversity of medicinal plants, but for the last two decades the illicit trade of these plant species has increased at an alarming rate. Most of our medicinal plants are at the brink of extinction due over-exploitation particularly for illegal trade, to name few species: Trillium govananium (Kashmiri name, ‘Tripater’), Allium royeli (‘Vani-e-praan’). For last two years another plant species which was collected ruthlessly is Fritillaria royeli (‘Seeth khaar’). This plant species is believed to treat eighty diseases in traditional system of medicine. These plant species are also source of some novel molecules, formulations and drugs.

During 2012-2015 our research team evaluated the conservation status of Trillium govananium and it turned out to be threatened in Kashmir Himalaya and the species is now threatened in entire Himalaya, the main cause being illegal trade. If conservation efforts are not put in place we will lose this plant species forever in near future. During our field survey in 2019, the Covid pandemic period, we witnessed huge population of Fritillaria royeli in Sarkund area of Wadwan valley. But during year 2024 almost all of it is gone, reason being illicit trade. The most unfortunate part is unscientific collection/extraction of such plant species from their natural habitats.

In both the aforementioned species whole plant is extracted from their natural habitats without leaving any sexual or vegetative propagules in their natural habitats. This unscientific practice is disastrous for the existence of these plant species. There is an urgent need to conserve this valuable resource for sustainable utilization. The government and non-governmental agencies should take some immediate and concrete steps to conserve this prized wealth. We should bear in mind and educate the people living in these areas that the sustainable trade underpins livelihoods for communities in present and in future as well.

Though in Jammu and Kashmir there is a law in place called ‘Kuth Act’ to conserve and protect the medicinal plants but on ground enforcement of this law seems to be ineffective. The over harvesting and illegal trade of these plant species are going on, and this puts most of the valuable plant species into different threatened categories of IUCN. This Act commonly known as ‘Kuth Act, 1920’ was enforced to conserve and protect plant species (Sassurea lappa) locally known as ‘Kuth’. The main purpose of this law was to stop illicit trade, extraction and export of this plant species.

The attention to wildlife trade has increased in recent years globally as well and it has been suggested that the focus of conservation should be broadened and most of the species should be brought under the ambient of conservation projects. This will help in effective policy interventions, awareness of wider threats from trade, and will also widen the conservation efforts.

The diversity of approaches to wildlife trade can be improved by expanding monitoring of trade to a wider variety of taxa; collecting fundamental ecological data to underpin assessments of trade sustainability; improving and co-designing conservation interventions with key stakeholders and trade actors; and developing appropriate strategies for managing the supply, trade, and demand in diverse wildlife products to ensure species and livelihoods are protected.

Some experts in the field of conservation biology have recommended that research efforts are needed to be done to collect data on the species affected by wildlife trade-both legal and illegal. Such research could inform evidence-based responses to their trade. The data on transport, supply chains and the practical responses are important for sustainability of trade. The sustainable trade of these natural resources is in the best interests of everyone, yet achieving this vision requires

By: Dr. Aijaz Hassan Ganie, Department of Botany, North Campus, University of Kashmir