No abstract

No abstract

Understanding the distribution and floristic features of native forest plants, as well as the reasons that lead local people to collect them, is of great value for planning and implementing forest conservation and rehabilitation projPublished: 8 September 2014 Ethnobotany Research & Applications 386www.ethnobotanyjournal.org/vol12/i1547-3465-12-385.pdf est types, namely Origanum syriacum L., Malva parviflora L., and Arum palaestinum Boiss., and that some plant species are collected from a particular forest type. The main uses of the collected plants are food and medicine. The study results suggest value in taking into account the behavior of people who collect native forest plants when designing fragile forest ecosystem restoration programs. These programs should be community-based in order to achieve ecosystem sustainability and prevent biodiversity erosion. IntroductionThe Mediterranean region has provided examples of human interactions with plants (ethnobotany sensu Jones (1941)) over the past decades through studies of collecting native plants for food and medicine (Aburjai et al. 2007, Ali-Shtayeh et al. 2008, El-Darier & El-Mogaspi 2009, Faker et al. 2009, Rigat et al. 2007. Previous ethnobotanical research in the Mediterranean region has identified about 2,300 different plant and fungi taxa which are gathered and consumed (Rivera et al. 2006). Ethnobotanical data contribute to ecosystem restoration and forest sustainability management programs that involve all stakeholders including communities surrounding forests. This involvement is crucial to achieve the indispensable target "sustainability," both through rewarding people and ecosystems. Choudhary et al. (2008) indicated that today's ethnobotanical studies, including applied projects, have potential to reduce poverty levels. Thus, it is important to define the relationship between people and forest as recommended by Michon et al. (2007), who called for a new concept of land management in which production and conservation are compatible and in which there is no choice to be made between people and nature. Accordingly, this study focused on investigating such a relationship in order to help stakeholders implement effective conservation management plans while also reducing the poverty of the local people.The northern area of Jordan contains three types of forests: pine forest, deciduous oak forest, and evergreen oak forest (Al-Eisawi 1996, El-oqlah et al. 1985, Kaspligil 1956, Lahham et al. 1987, Long 1957, Zohary 1962 These forest areas receive the highest precipitation levels in Jordan, with annual rainfall amounts ranging from 400 to 600 mm. The area is bordered by the Irano-Turanian and Sudanian vegetation territories from the west and the Irano-Turanian and Saharo-Arabian vegetation from the east (Al-Eisawi 1996).Jordan's forest area is less than 1% of the total country. This area is declining both in regard to quality and quantity due to urbanization, shifting olive cropping at the expense of forests, grazing, and climate change,...

BackgroundEthnobotanical research studies in Jordan mostly targeted the medicinal uses of plants ignoring the other important uses. Comprehensive documentation of traditional knowledge of using native plants in the delicate desert ecosystem is very crucial for prioritizing biodiversity conservation and socio-economic improvement programs. This study therefore documents and analyzes the traditional knowledge of native plants used for grazing, firewood, food, and medicine by local inhabitants of the southern part of Wadi Araba desert in southwest Jordan. MethodsThe information was obtained using a structured survey targeting 296 informants inhabiting the southern part of Wadi Araba. The documented data was quantitively analyzed by calculating the frequency of citation for the uses categories and species used. ResultsThe results showed that the most important species used as a source of feed for the grazing animals and for firewood is Haloxylon persicum, which also indicates that the species is under overexploitation stress. About 91% of the informants mentioned that they collect plants for medicinal uses compared to 7% who collect them for food, and 6.4% of the informants mentioned that they get the plants from their families and they rarely cultivate them. The informants attributed the reduction in vegetation cover to the lack of water and overgrazing. Whereas, firewood scarcity and long distance to the grazing and wood cutting sites are the most obstacles that face firewood collection. ConclusionOur study concluded that the local people of the study area are still interested in the utilization of the native plants in their surroundings as their ancestors did. Yet, there is some pressure on certain plant species and certain geographic areas that conservation and development programs should take into consideration. This information obtained in this study is interesting for economic improvement and biodiversity conservation programs in adopting small businesses that cultivate the most collected plants to reduce pressure on the ecosystem and to generate income for local families.