04111nas a2200757   4500000000100000008004100001653001000042653000900052653000900061653001600070653001300086653001200099653001700111653003800128653001200166653001100178653001700189653002400206653002100230653001400251653001300265653001500278653002100293653001100314653002400325653002000349653000900369653001600378653001100394653002300405653001100428653002200439653003200461653002400493653000800517653002500525653001000550653000900560653001200569653001300581653002300594653001700617653002600634653002900660653001100689653001000700653002100710653002700731653001400758653000900772653001600781653002000797653001000817653002800827653002300855653002300878653000800901100002000909700002200929700001900951245016300970856014701133490000601280520204701286022002003333                                       d10aadult10aaged10aaged10a80 and over10aAttitude10aAustria10aBiodiversity10aConservation of Natural Resources10aCulture10aFemale10aFocus groups10aGuidelines as Topic10aHealth Knowledge10aAttitudes10aPractice10aHerbal tea10aHuman Activities10aHumans10aInterviews as Topic10aLocal knowledge10amale10aMiddle Aged10aNature10aPlant Preparations10aPlants10aRegional Identity10aRevitalisation of tradition10aSpecies Specificity10aTea10aWild plant gathering10aadult10aaged10aarticle10aAttitude10aattitude to health10aBiodiversity10acultural anthropology10aEnvironmental protection10aFemale10ahuman10ahuman activities10ainformation processing10ainterview10amale10aMiddle Aged10anatural science10aPlant10aplant medicinal product10apractice guideline10aspecies difference10aTea1 aSusanne Grasser1 aChristoph Schunko1 aChristian Vogl00aGathering "tea" - from necessity to connectedness with nature. Local knowledge about wild plant gathering in the Biosphere Reserve Grosses Walsertal (Austria)  uhttps://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84864816968&doi=10.1186%2f1746-4269-8-31&partnerID=40&md5=831978c8e2c406702bc5e7bb7234a6660 v83 aBackground: Wild plant gathering is an essential element in livelihood strategies all over the world. However due to changing circumstances in Europe, the reason for gathering has altered from one of necessity in the past to a pleasurable activity today. Wild plant gathering has therefore also received renewed attention as a form of intangible cultural heritage expressing local preferences, habits and man s relationship with nature.In the Biosphere Reserve Grosses Walsertal (Austria), local people s knowledge of the gathering of wild plants and their perception of their own gathering activities are being documented. The focus of this paper is on the uses of herbal teas and the informal guidelines for gathering plants that have been issued by the Bergtee (mountain tea) association.Methods: Thirty-six free-list interviews were conducted with subsequent semi-structured interviews and three focus group meetings held with members of the Bergtee association. Participatory observation (gathering and processing plants, mixing and marketing tea) also allowed for greater understanding of what had been reported.Results: In total, 140 different gathered plant species were listed by respondents. Herbal tea is the most frequently mentioned use. The Bergtee association, founded by a young man and two middle-aged women in the valley, is a good example of the link between biological and cultural diversity, with the aim of sharing the biosphere reserve s natural treasures as well as local plant-related knowledge in the form of herbal tea products. The association s informal guidelines for gathering reflect people s attitude to nature: monetary income does not play a major role in gathering plants; instead people s appreciation of the value of the nature around them is to the fore.Conclusions: Gathering wild plants can be seen as an expression of people s regional identity. The conscious appreciation of nature and related local knowledge is crucial for the sustainable conservation and use of the Biosphere Reserve s resources.  a17464269 (ISSN)