World Wildlife Day: Conserving medicinal and aromatic plants

March 3 marks the 13th World Wildlife Day. The 2026 theme, "Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Conserving Health, Heritage and Livelihoods," highlights how people everywhere rely on wildlife and biodiversity-based resources – from food and fuel to medicines, housing and clothing.

Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) are central to this relationship. More than 50,000 MAP species are known globally – about 16% of all known plant species – and their use dates back some 5,000 years.

According to the World Health Organization, over 80% of the population in its 170 member states use traditional medicine, particularly for chronic diseases, and around 40% of modern pharmaceuticals are derived from medicinal plants and traditional medical knowledge.

These plants serve as medicinal materials as well as key ingredients for spices, cosmetics, food and luxury goods. In 2024, international trade in MAPs exceeded $200 billion.

One in five people worldwide rely on wild plants, algae and fungi for food and income, and the cultivation and harvest of MAPs secure vital livelihoods for many households.

Yet growing pressures threaten these resources. Globally, an estimated 50,000 to 70,000 MAP species are harvested, about 1,500 of which are listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species Appendices, with over 1,300 subject to international trade controls.

More than 20% of plant species used for medicinal and aromatic purposes are considered threatened with extinction, and around 15,000 face extinction risks due to illegal trade, habitat loss and fragmentation, overharvesting and climate change.

In southwest China, researchers at the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences discovered a new firmoss species, Huperzia crassifolia, during a medicinal plant inventory.

Huperzine A, a substance found in firmoss plants has been shown to be "very effective" in treating Alzheimer's disease, according to Liu Hongmei, an associate researcher at XTBG.

Scientists cautioned that if its medicinal value becomes widely known, the species could face over-collection and tentatively proposed listing it as endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

To advance conservation and sustainable use, China is strengthening systematic governance. The national botanical garden system is progressing steadily, and from Tuesday, 14 botanical gardens nationwide are co-hosting a special exhibition on rare medicinal and aromatic plants at the China National Botanical Garden in Beijing.

The country has established nearly 600 terrestrial wildlife rescue institutions and seven national germplasm conservation facilities, preserving over 28,000 wild plant species, with more than 300 reintroduced into the wild.

On the utilization front, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is expanding globally. It is now practiced in 196 countries and regions, and China has signed cooperation agreements with over 40 foreign governments and international organizations.

Meanwhile, new regulations on TCM registration require clearer safety information in drug labels, accelerating the sector's shift from quantity-driven growth to quality-oriented development and strengthening the foundation for its internationalization.

By spotlighting medicinal and aromatic plants, World Wildlife Day 2026 underscores their vital role in safeguarding human health, cultural heritage and community livelihoods, while calling for stronger cooperation, regulated trade, science-based conservation and sustainable use to ensure these invaluable plants continue to thrive in the wild.