TY - JOUR
KW - adult
KW - aged
KW - aged
KW - 80 and over
KW - Attitude
KW - Austria
KW - Biodiversity
KW - Conservation of Natural Resources
KW - Culture
KW - Female
KW - Focus groups
KW - Guidelines as Topic
KW - Health Knowledge
KW - Attitudes
KW - Practice
KW - Herbal tea
KW - Human Activities
KW - Humans
KW - Interviews as Topic
KW - Local knowledge
KW - male
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Nature
KW - Plant Preparations
KW - Plants
KW - Regional Identity
KW - Revitalisation of tradition
KW - Species Specificity
KW - Tea
KW - Wild plant gathering
KW - adult
KW - aged
KW - article
KW - Attitude
KW - attitude to health
KW - Biodiversity
KW - cultural anthropology
KW - Environmental protection
KW - Female
KW - human
KW - human activities
KW - information processing
KW - interview
KW - male
KW - Middle Aged
KW - natural science
KW - Plant
KW - plant medicinal product
KW - practice guideline
KW - species difference
KW - Tea
AU - Susanne Grasser
AU - Christoph Schunko
AU - Christian Vogl
AB - Background: 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.
DO - 10.1186/1746-4269-8-31
N2 - Background: 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.
TI - Gathering "tea" - from necessity to connectedness with nature. Local knowledge about wild plant gathering in the Biosphere Reserve Grosses Walsertal (Austria)
UR - https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84864816968&doi=10.1186%2f1746-4269-8-31&partnerID=40&md5=831978c8e2c406702bc5e7bb7234a666
VL - 8
SN - 17464269 (ISSN)
ER -