Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning Agency of Environment

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Ministry of Environment and Physical
PlanningAgency of Environment

• Assessment of the state and quantity of the
  Bear's ear populations - Arctostaphylos uva- ursi
  L. (Spreng.) in the Republic of Macedonia
• Sashko Jordanov, M.Sc

Central and Eastern Europe Regional Worshop on
Sustainable Use of Biological Diversity 30 May -
02 June 2005, Moscow
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1. General information

• The Republic of Macedonia is situated in the
  central part of the Balkan Peninsula and it
  occupies an area of 25.713 km2.
• The richness and heterogeneity of species and
  ecosystems appear to be the basic characteristics
  of the biodiversity of the Republic of Macedonia.
• Biodiversity of R. Macedonia is represented by
  over 18000 taxa of flora, fauna and fungi, of
  which over 900 are endemic taxa.
• There are approximately 3,500 vascular plant
  species in Macedonia, of which 700 have medicinal
  properties, but only 120 species are utilised.

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• The collection of medicinal plants can be divided
  into two categories collection for personal use
  and for economic purposes.
• The Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning
  is the competent authority in the Republic of
  Macedonia for biodiversity protection.
• The Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning
  prepared a new Law on Nature Conservation and
  National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan
  (2004).

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• The main objective of the Strategy is to protect
  biological diversity and ensure its sustainable
  use for the benefit of people, taking into
  consideration the unique natural values and the
  rich tradition of the Republic of Macedonia.
• A Case-study on the sustainable use of biological
  resources in the Republic of Macedonia has not
  been prepared yet.
• An assessment of the state and quantity of
  bear's ear population - Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
  L. (Spreng.) in the Republic of Macedonia was
  prepared in 2003

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2. Case-study an assessment of the state and
quantity of bear's ear population

• The bear's ear is a shrubby species, widely
  distributed on a global level.
• In the Republic of Macedonia the species is
  distributed in the following areas (Skopje
  Valley, mountains of Yakupitsa, Karadzitsa,
  Dautitsa, Shar Mountain, Osogovo Mountains and
  Mariovo.
• Bear's ear thrives on rocky ground in the light
  woods of black and white pine and in subalpic
  plant communities on limestone and dolomite
  ground.

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Map of distribution of Arctostaphylos uva-ursi in
Republic of Macedonia
Serbia and Montenegro
Skopje
Bulgaria
Albania
M A C E D O N I A
Greece
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Arctostaphylos uva - ursi Bear's ear
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Mountain Karadzitsa - natural habitat of Bear's
ear
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• Total estimated quantity of Arctostaphylos
  uva-ursi in the Republic of Macedonia is 600-
  650 t (fresh matter) or 230-300 t (dry matter).
  Most of it (150-200 t) comes from the areas of
  Skopje Valley, mountains Jakupitsa, Karadzitsa
  and Dautitsa) where there is mass collection of
  this species by the local people and its
  populations are excessively used.
• Generally, the populations of Arctostaphylos
  uva-ursi are decreasing on a national level.
• The Bear's ear is a well-known medicinal plant in
  the traditional medicine and pharmacology.The
  collection and trade of its is for commercial
  purposes. The leaves of the plant are collected
  in the period April-June or August-September.

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• The purchase price of the bear's ear leaves
  changes depending on the season of collection and
  the climate conditions. Purchase is done by
  private companies at purchase stations or at the
  collection site directly with the collectors. The
  purchase price in 2003 was 1,59 EUR for 1 kg
  leaves of bear's ear.
• Official data on exported amounts of bear's ear
  have been recorded since 1993 to 2004. Greatest
  exploitation of the populations of bear's ear has
  been registered in 1995/96, when 65-80 t were
  exported annually. In 2004 43,5 t of bear's ear
  were exported.
• New Law on Nature Conservation incorporates
  provisions for conservation of nature. It also
  covers the regulation of wild-growing plants
  collection and trade.

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• In the course of 2002, the new Law on Customs
  Tariff of the Republic of Macedonia was adopted
  with Decision for distribution of goods in export
  and import forms. The Decision includes lists of
  endangered wild plants, fungi and animals, placed
  under the regime of permit, issued by the
  Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning.
  The List of endangered plants includes the
  species Arctostaphylos uva-ursi as well.
• The conditions and manner of use of medicinal
  plants have not been regulated in the national
  legislation, because we have not prepared
  secondary acts for the concrete area.
• There is no institution on the national level
  responsible for monitoring of the state of
  wild-growing plants, so there is no continuous
  monitoring of the same, and the data are based
  only on individual scientific research.

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• The Republic of Macedonia has not established a
  mechanism for sustainable use of biodiversity
  yet, especially concerning Arctostaphylos
  uva-ursi, nor has prepared a system and Action
  Plan for management of bear's ear population.
• The Republic of Macedonia envisages to introduce
  a 5-year exploitation moratorium of the
  Arctostaphylos uva-ursi.
• Maximum permitted exploitation quote after the
  moratorium is 7-10 t of the total estimated
  amounts.

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3. Priority activities of conservation of bear's
ear

• Prepare secundary legislation on the regulation
  of wild- growing plants collection and trade
  (export-import).
• Prepare of Case-study on the sustainable use of
  Arctostaphylos uva-ursi in the whole territory of
  Macedonia
• Introduce 5-year exploitation moratorium for the
  Arctostaphylos uva-ursi.
• Introduce maximum permitted exploitation quote
  for after of moratorium.

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• Develop of Ecological Networks (Emerald and
  Natura 2000) as an important model of
  biodiversity and ecosystem protection.
• Intoduce continuous monitoring of collection and
  trade of bear's ear
• Control collectors, purchasers, purchase
  stations, producers and manufacturers
• Include localities of bear's ear on Jakupitsa and
  Nidze, which will be proclamed national parks in
  the next period

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• Establish a mechanism for sustainable use of
  bear's ear
• Inculde bear's ear in the next Red book of the
  Republic of Macedonia
• Introduce commercial breeding of bear's ear
• Introduce and implement the Addis Ababa
  Principles and Guidelines for the Sustainable Use
  of Biodiversity and Principles and Guidelines of
  the Ecosystem Approach in order achieve
  integrated conservation and management of land,
  water and living resources