Native Plant Conservation Campaign News: The Invisible Trade - Wild plants and you in the time of COVID-19 report exposes new threats to plants.
June 25, 2020
 
This week (22nd-26th June) is FairWild week, an annual online event to raise awareness about the importance of sustainable and equitable trade in wild plant ingredients.
 
For FairWild week, TRAFFIC – the Wildlife Trade Specialists has released a new report The Invisible Trade Wild plants and you in the time of COVID-19.  The report details how wild plant species used in herbal treatments of COVID-19 are under heightened harvesting pressure, both as a result of increased demand and because of more people turning to wild harvesting as a source of income during times of economic crisis.
 
Some of the report’s key findings from TRAFFIC:
Since 2008, TRAFFIC has partnered with the FairWild Foundation, to promote the sustainable use of wild ingredients by applying the FairWild Standard throughout the herbal products supply chain. FairWild certification is a guarantee of sustainable wild harvesting, as well as fair and equitable share of resources.
 
Photo: Ginseng. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Ginseng root is exported in larger volumes than any other native CITES plant species. Public domain.