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<p>Unregulated and illegal wild orchid harvest is a serious threat to the conservation of many orchid species, but it is also important to rural livelihoods. Yet there is little data on harvest dynamics and limited effort to regulate it sustainably. We conducted a study of commercial harvest and trade of wild plants, including orchids and non-orchids, in Gandaki province of Nepal, in a sub-alpine village where over 90% were involved in wild plant collection for commercial purposes. We collected information on harvest dynamics from self-reported monitoring of harvest volumes by 30 households, interviews with members of those households, as well as through 10 walk-along interviews. Harvesters reported high-volume harvesting for commercial purposes involving 16 medicinal plant species (pseudobulbs and tubers); this included the highly protected <i>Dactylorhiza hatagirea,</i> the other orchids <i>Satyrium nepalense</i>, <i>Pholidota</i> spp., and <i>Coelogyne</i> spp., as well as non-orchid species. Most harvesters were women and from households close to the poverty line; wild plant harvest was reported as a source of household income critical for investments in education and health. A formalized trade management with permits and regular monitoring can help balance conservation and livelihoods, but this first requires baseline data. We highlight the need to collaborate with harvesters to begin trialing sustainable harvest methods for a few species most targeted for commercial purposes.</p>

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Understanding the Medicinal Orchid Trade in Central Nepal Through Harvest Monitoring

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月1日

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  • Reshu Bashyal,
  • Kumar Paudel,
  • Tamara Ticktin,
  • Jacob Phelps

摘要

Unregulated and illegal wild orchid harvest is a serious threat to the conservation of many orchid species, but it is also important to rural livelihoods. Yet there is little data on harvest dynamics and limited effort to regulate it sustainably. We conducted a study of commercial harvest and trade of wild plants, including orchids and non-orchids, in Gandaki province of Nepal, in a sub-alpine village where over 90% were involved in wild plant collection for commercial purposes. We collected information on harvest dynamics from self-reported monitoring of harvest volumes by 30 households, interviews with members of those households, as well as through 10 walk-along interviews. Harvesters reported high-volume harvesting for commercial purposes involving 16 medicinal plant species (pseudobulbs and tubers); this included the highly protected Dactylorhiza hatagirea, the other orchids Satyrium nepalense, Pholidota spp., and Coelogyne spp., as well as non-orchid species. Most harvesters were women and from households close to the poverty line; wild plant harvest was reported as a source of household income critical for investments in education and health. A formalized trade management with permits and regular monitoring can help balance conservation and livelihoods, but this first requires baseline data. We highlight the need to collaborate with harvesters to begin trialing sustainable harvest methods for a few species most targeted for commercial purposes.