Brasilia, 25 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) is preparing, in a partnership with EMBRAPA and other research institutes, a database to supply the information necessary for the development of conservation and management projects for medicinal plants. A total of R$ 60,000 should be spent on this endeavor.
According to the head of IBAMA's Nucleus of Studies, Conservation and Management of Medicinal Plants, Suelma Ribeiro, various species of both Brazilian fauna and flora are endangered. Brazil is very rich in biodiversity, and it's necessary to provide more specific guidelines for the users of medicinal plants. She warned of the existence of a list of 27 endangered species of the national flora.
"The nucleus is aimed at collecting information and promoting studies to identify materials among the communities that live in locations of environmental conservation, such as indigenous communities. The goal is to orient against the inappropriate exploitation of medicinal plants. The risk of extinction of Brazilian flora occurs mainly because of the destruction of the habitat of species and because of biopiracy," she concluded. (MW)