C. V. Nnamani
Ebonyi State University, Nigeria
Title: Bark extractism the key threat to medicinal plants sustainable conservation: their taxonomic index and nigerian perspective
Biography
Biography: C. V. Nnamani
Abstract
Traditional medicine is an important source of primary healthcare system in most rural communities in Nigeria. This high reliance on traditional medicine can be attributed to accessibility, local availability, affordability; existence of local knowledge and expertise and synergy with their cultural belief. However, the indiscriminate and non-systematic approach of harvesting by debarking is impacting on the availability of these species. Taxonomic index of these species and the implications of bark removal in five communities in Ebonyi State, Nigeria was carried out through oral interviews, field observation and focal group discussions with traditional healer and drivers of medicinal plants who are knowledgeable in that field were assessed. Results highlighted those flora families and taxa mostly affected to include Apocynaceae, Anacardiaceae, Longanaiceae Meliaceae, Rubiaceae Moringaceae, Bignoniaceae and Fabiaceae with its highest impact on Alstonia boonei, Anthocleista djarlonensis, Azadichrata indica, Khaya senealensis, Morinda lucida, Moringa oleifera, Nauclea latifolia and Anacarduim occindentale. Six out of these taxa are now rare, threatened or endangered with no policy program on the germsplam domestication and conservation. The medicinal uses of these medicinal plants and implication of debarking on sustainable conservation are discussed. Keywords: Debarking, herbals, exploitation, sustainability, Nigeria