Status of medicinal and aromatic plants in - Inia

PRESENTED PAPERS 133
In situ conservation
Legislation on MAP protection and conservation in F.R.Y. is directly connected with
environmental protection in general. In this sense, the work on the ratification and
implementation of different IUCN, CITES and UNESCO international conventions
(Agenda 21, Rio Declaration, United Nations 1992; European Community Environment
Legislation 1992; Bern Convention 1982; Council Regulation No 338/97, 1996; etc.) was of
great importance.
Since 1993, legislative means and laws at both federal and republic levels were
implemented in the domain of MAP protection and exploitation, such as the Resolution of
policy of environmental protection (1993), Resolution of policy of biodiversity maintenance (1994),
Law of environment protection (1993), Law of protection of organisms rare in the nature (1993) and
Direction of control, utilization and turnover of wild plant and animal species (1993, 1996, 1999).
All rare species (including MAPs) were categorized into the IUCN groups (EX = extinct,
EW = extinct in the wild, CR = critically endangered, VU = vulnerable, etc.).
Some important endangered and vulnerable MAPs of the Yugoslav flora are: Drosera
rotundifolia L., Gentiana punctata L., Gentiana lutea L., Prunus laurocerasus L., Acer heldreichii
Boiss., Pinus mugo Turr., Acorus calamus L., Adonis vernalis L., Helichrysum arenarium DC.,
Lycopodium clavatum L., Menyanthes trifoliata L., Orchis militaris L., Ruta graveolens L. and
Veratrum album L.
The collecting of species listed in the Red Book is strictly forbidden (Box 1).
The Direction of control, utilization and turnover of wild plant and animal species also lists
precisely the quantities of certain species whose collection is allowed (together with
proposed collecting methods), as well as the list of species whose collecting is forbidden (not
only species from the Red Data Book, but also other endangered and vulnerable MAPs).
After adoption of the Direction of natural rarities protection, 17.7% of the species of the total
Yugoslavian flora is under state control.
Currently 10 big national parks of Yugoslavia cover the main zones of western Serbia and
almost all zones in Montenegro, whereas eastern Serbia and the Mediterranean part of
Montenegro are still not sufficiently protected.
Among various activities that have to be undertaken urgently regarding nature
protection, MAPs included, the following will be stressed:
- Implementation of the international conventions and partition of responsibility
- Identification of biodiversity components (natural goods of extraordinary significance
for F.R.Y.)
- Monitoring
- Information systems
- Sustainable utilization of natural resources
- Conditions of access to MAP genetic resources (export, import, trade)
- Information exchange
- Prevention of massive exploitation through cultivation of endangered MAPs.