Medicinal Plant Working Group Participation Committee

Chair:

Vacant

Objective:

To increase participation in native medicinal plant conservation.

The number of groups interested in native medicinal plants is growing. Participants ranging from consumers to policy makers, farmers, and school children could be brought into the discussion through concerted outreach and education. The goal is to:

1. expand awareness of native medicinal plant needs among those who could assist with their conservation; and
   
2. ensure that future generations grow into fuller awareness of the value of these plants.

Action Items:

• Educate policy-makers, consumers, and the general public regarding the conservation status and importance of native medicinal plants to focus attention on this issue and increase its profile.
• Develop medicinal plant fliers that farmers could distribute to publics visiting their farms.
• Develop stories for the web that demonstrate successful cultivation techniques.
• Centralize a collection of free publications for distribution to interested publics.
• Meet with Master Gardener programs, Extension Services, Joint Ventures such as AECS, and others to reach farmers and offer models demonstrating the benefits of public outreach.
• Encourage funding.
• Identify, quantify, and publicize trends in the conservation status of native medicinal plants, including cases of unsustainable use, and the benefits of conservation.
• Develop flier for public dessimination that lists what the general public can do to promote medicinal plant conservation.
• Promote policy reforms and alternative consumer behaviors as appropriate.
• Determine how to foster development of a certification program for sustainable use of medicinal plants.
• Seek out partners to support a certification program.
• Create a database of experts with knowledge of specific medicinal plant species.