Impacts on traditional utilization and original habitats of useful plants for aroma oil smelling across the world

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K12476
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 80010:Area studies-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Sato Hiroki 京都大学, アジア・アフリカ地域研究研究科, 准教授 (90625302)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 有用植物 / 伝統利用 / 商業利用 / 持続性 / 保全 / アロマオイル

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Global commercialization of plant resources such as aromatic oils is occurring in Madagascar based on traditional knowledge of forest resources. We examined the impact of the commercialization of plant use on traditional use systems, and we found that plant resources such as Cinnamosma fragrans were non-sustainably exploited in essential oil production areas. Ankarafantska National Park, which is the largest habitat for this species, protects forests and permit sustainable forest use by the local communities. In situations where biological and cultural diversity coexist for long periods of time, knowledge of plant use has accumulated, and the primary forests are recognized as a treasure trove of useful plants. In recent years, while commercial use has been banned, forest fires caused by slash-and-burn agriculture and charcoal production threaten the supply service of useful plant resources, and response measures to manage the fires need to be urgently developed.

Free Research Field

民族植物学、地域研究、生態学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

野生の植物は人々の利用が伴って有用植物という価値が生じる。その知識に基づき植物資源が商業化されると非持続的な搾取に陥り、伝統的な利用体系が脅かされてしまうことが多い。そうした中で住民参加型の保護区域は森林を保護し、住民による持続的な森林利用を維持させる機能を有している。こうした状況下では伝統的な知識の蓄積が促進され、自然林が有用植物の宝庫として価値を高まることが示唆された。本研究の成果は、生物多様性と文化多様性が共存することの意義と必要性を示している。