Abstract
Natura 2000 is a network of protected spaces where the use of natural resources is regulated through the Habitat Directive of the European Union. It is essential for the conservation of biodiversity in Europe, but its social perception must be improved. We present this work as a demonstration case of the potentialities of one of these protected areas in the southwest (SW) Iberian Peninsula. We show an overview of the catalog of native wild plants of the place, which have nutritional and edible properties, having been used in human food by the peasant local population over the last century, and whose consumption trend is being implemented in Europe mainly through the haute cuisine and ecotourism sectors. What is offered here is a study of the case of what kind of positive contribution systematized botanical or ethnobotanical scientific knowledge can make toward encouraging innovative and sustainable rural development initiatives. A total of 145 wild plants that are potentially useful for leading tourism and consumers toward haute cuisine, new gastronomy, enviromentally-friendly recipes, and Natura 2000 Conservation are retrieved. The methodology used for our proposal is based on recent proposals of food product development and Basque Culinary Center initiatives.
Highlights
Even though the average Western citizen has access to more species of edible plants than ever, a common household shopping list will not include more than 45 plant species as food supplies
Regarding wild resources (plant species that grow spontaneously in populations in natural or managed habitats, thriving independently of direct human action, following the definition of [3], 73 plant species are reported to be used in Álava (Spain, [4]), while 66 plant species are reported to be used in Emilia (Italy, [5]), the inhabitants of the Quinling Mountains of Saanxi (China) use up to 185 species [6], and the indigenous peoples of southern Ecuador use up to 354 [7]
The most common: Lamiaceae (13.79%), Asteraceae (10.34%), Caryophyllaceae (10.34%), Apiaceae (8.62%), Gentianaceae (6.90%), and 20 more families
Summary
Plant Resources Global Availability and Potential Use. From approximately 250,000 plant species, it has been estimated that up to 75,000 could be edible [1], and some 7000 are regularly eaten worldwide [2]. Even though the average Western citizen has access to more species of edible plants than ever, a common household shopping list will not include more than 45 plant species as food supplies. Western societies tend to use much fewer species than indigenous communities. The main actor responsible for this steady loss of culinary traditions is globalization [8]; wild edible plants are often stigmatized due to associations with food shortage and poverty, climatic extreme events, or politically conflictive times ([9] and references therein), leading to the abandonment of wild edible resources and the consequent decline of knowledge in plant uses. What has become increasingly clear is that any approach to biodiversity and landscape conservation must incorporate traditional knowledge in order to achieve success
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