Traditional uses of plants in a rural community of Mozambique and possible links with Miombodegradation and harvesting sustainability

Traditional uses of plants in a rural community of Mozambique and possible links with Miombodegradation and harvesting sustainability

Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, July 2014

25056487

Piero Bruschi, Matteo Mancini, Elisabetta Mattioli, Michela Morganti, Maria Adele Signorini

Miombo woodlands play an important role in the livelihood of people living in sub-equatorial African countries, contributing to satisfy basic human needs such as food, medicine, fuelwood and building materials. However, over-exploitation of plant resources and unsustainable harvest practices can potentially degrade forests. The aim of this study was to document the use of Miombo plant products, other than medicinal plants, in local communities, within a wider framework in which we discussed possible links between traditional uses and conservation status of the used species and of the whole Miombo environment.