Medicinal plants in the Altai Mountains: reserves of raw materials and annual possible volumes of harvesting

Russia is one of the leading exporters of wild medicinal plants in Europe, and the Altai Mountains are the main harvest areas. The conservation strategy includes both the exploitation of wild populations and the cultivation of medicinal plants. To avoid over-harvesting of medicinal plants in nature it is essential to observe the mode of sustainable use. The paper aims to analyse data on resources of 91 medicinal plant species in the Altai Mountains. Exploitable reserves, annual possible volume of harvesting and harvesting periodicity are given for 34 commercial species. We compared data on dynamics of harvestings and exploitable reserves for brand species with subsurface parts used. The Altai Mountains has great potential as a resource region of medicinal plants. Commercial harvesters apparently ignore the mode of sustainable use. The question needs further research and effective enforcement of the legal framework