Wildcheck – Assessing the risks and opportunities of trade in wild plant ingredients

Thousands of consumer products around the world contain ingredients obtained from wild plants. Wild harvest accounts for some or all of the harvest of the majority of plant species in trade (between 60-90 percent). Wild-harvested plants often come from the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth and many have been used traditionally or by local communities for generations. While these products have global markets and provide critical sources of income, they can also have deep ties to particular cultures and places.

Demand for wild plant ingredients is growing rapidly, having grown by more than 75 percent in value in the past two decades. As a result, thousands of harvested species are at risk from a combination of overharvesting and habitat loss: of the 21percent of medicinal and aromatic plant species whose threat status has been assessed, 9 percent are considered threatened with extinction.

Despite their ubiquity, importance, and the threats facing them, wild plant ingredients are often obscured from consumers and escape companies’ due diligence due to a lack of awareness and traceability. Best practice standards exist, but have yet to capture a significant portion of the market.

This report aims to address these challenges by making information on a selection of ‘flagship’ wild plant ingredients, dubbed the Wild Dozen, readily available and easy to understand. These Wild Dozen represent the range of uses, threats, and opportunities that can face all types of wild-harvested plant ingredients. By offering this information without the obligation of a specific follow-up action (for example through certification or policy change), it is hoped that a wide range of users will access this information as a step towards responsible sourcing. Along with a broader update on the state of wild plant trade, the report provides a ‘profile’ on each of the Wild Dozen ingredients, summarizing critical facts on production and trade. Each profile contains a traffic-light risk rating on biological and social factors, along with an overview of opportunities for responsible sourcing. The information is aimed at industry, consumers, policy-makers, investors, and practitioners, concluding with a summary of what these various stakeholders can do to contribute to a sectoral shift towards responsible sourcing of wild plant ingredients.

Of the twelve flagship wild-harvested ingredients reviewed, the majority of the risk assessment results (both biological and social) are Medium or High, with only one Low biological and one Low social result. This shows that these ingredients must be considered in due diligence, policies, and purchasing decisions. However, across the twelve ingredients, a range of engaging opportunities are noted including sustainable harvest, wildlife conservation and restoration, access and benefit sharing, research, partnerships, and engagement with bestpractice standards and certification. The outlook for these flagships, and for wild ingredients as a whole, can be bright if appropriate actions such as those suggested throughout the report are taken by various stakeholders now.