- Dr. Rajendra K.C. from the Department of Forests and Soil Conservation in Nepal presented on the sustainable harvesting and trade status of Jatamansi (Nardostachys grandiflora) in Nepal. - Jatamansi grows between 2500-5000 meters in elevation across 25 districts in Nepal. It is harvested mainly in October and dried before being exported, primarily to India. - Nepal estimates its annual quota for Jatamansi harvesting and trade based on forest inventories. The largest quantities are found in Humla district. In 2018, the estimated allowable harvest amount was over 900 metric tons across Nepal. - Jatamansi is listed on CITES Appendix

1. Sustainable Development and Conservation of Jatamansi
(Nardostachys grandiflora) in Relation to National and
International Trade
Dr. Rajendra K.C., Deputy Director General
Department of Forests and Soil Conservation
Babarmahal, Kathmandu, Nepal
26 November, 2018

2. Sustainable Harvesting and Trade Status of Jatamansi
(Nardostachys grandiflora) in Nepal
Department of Forests and Soil Conservation
Babarmahal, Kathmandu

3. Outline
1. Introduction
2. Distribution
3. Inventory & Legal Provision
4. Management
5. Threats

4. Quota should be published on
the Secretariat's website
Zero export quota
CITES Standing Committee
Ensure Sustainable Harvesting
Current legislation
with regard to trade
of Appendix II listed
species
Introduction

5. Contents
Executive summary
Table 1: New or increased quotas
in 2017 that may require
particular attention by the SRG.
Introduction
1. Taxa with new quotas in 2017
Table 2: Taxa subject to newly
established quotas in 2017
2. Taxa with increased quotas in
2017..
Table 3: Taxa subject to increased
quotas in 2017
3. Taxa with decreased quotas in
2017
Table 4: Taxa subject to decreased
quotas in 2017
Quota……?
By European Union

6. As is apparent from the above, as well as being a range State
itself, India is the primary country of import for Nardostachys
grandiflora and Picrorhiza kurrooa rhizomes in international trade.
Most of the material imported into India is processed and
consumed locally (roughly 80% according to individuals interviewed
for this study), with relatively smaller amounts reexported in the
form of manufactured products, e.g. medicines
Available information indicates that the main products in international trade
of both species are rhizomes, with smaller amounts of trade in finished
products such as oil. Nepal is the primary country of export for both
species, exporting large amounts of unprocessed rhizomes, and smaller
quantities of 'spikenard oil', oil produced from the rhizomes of Nardostachys
grandiflora. Based on existing case studies, Olsen (1999) estimates that
Nepal's annual export to India of dried unprocessed rhizomes of
Nardostachys grandiflora involves approximately 1000 t per year, with only
about 17% of this subsequently reexported from India. Information acquired
during visits to Delhi’s Khari Baoli medicinals market similarly indicate that
most of the N. grandiflora in trade originates from Nepal. Nepali Customs
data from two border posts show the export of 2739 kg of jatamansi oil to
India during 1996/97. Olsen (1999) considers N. grandiflora to be one of the
two most important species traded from Nepal.

7. Legal status of Jatamansi
 The Forest Act 1993 and Forest
Regulation 1995 prohibit the export
of N. jatamansi without processing
(GoN, 1995; GoN, 1995).
 Only allow Oil and Marc
(derivatives) of N. jatamansi.
 CITES Act 2017
 Since May 2017, No CITES
certificates have been issued

8. 3200-5000 m
 Perennial,
 Aromatic,
 Herbaceous (10-60 cm)
 Rhizome (short, dark grey, woody, thickened,
tufted, fibrous )
 Leaves (rosette, lanceolate, entire)
Distribution
Introduction
SN: Nardostachys jatamansi (D.Don) DC.
Synonyms: Nardostachys grandiflora Wall. ex DC
(Catalogue of Life, 2018)
Family: Caprifoliaceae
Nepali name: Jatamansi, Bhulte
English name: Spikenard
Trade names: Jatamansi, Balchhad, Bhulte

9. Conservation category
• Critically Endangered
• IUCN RED List of
Threatened Species
2. CITES: Appendix II species
• 10th meeting of CoP held in
Harare, June 1997
• Proposed by Government of India
• Supported by People's Republic of
China
• Effective from September 1997
1. IUCN Red List

10.  High mountain
 25-45 degree slope
 Karnali Region
 Western Popn > Eastern Popn
 Population density higher above 3400 m
 25 Districts (Five year Plan)
Species Distribution

11. Drying
Fresh rhizomes are cleaned within two
or three days in the field.
Drying (weight reduce to 30% - 50% )
Time of Collection
October, usually after Dashain
festival
Department of Plant Resource (Scientific
Authority of CITES for Plants in Nepal)
recommended up to 2% oil content during
extraction of raw N. jatamansi in the factory
(remaining Marc and other derivatives).

12. Quota Estimation

13. Based on
 Inventory information provided in 5 years District Forest Management Plan
 IEE Report of 5 year District Forest Management Plan
 Protected Area (Shey Phoksundo and Appinappa): Management Plan
 Approved EIA Report of Humla
 Approved EIA Report of CFUGs (Jumla)

14. Methodology of Jatamansi inventory
• The Community Forestry
Guidelines, 2004/2005
• NTFP Guidelines, 2012/2013
• Concentric nested-sample plots.
• 10-100 square meter- Plot size
• Parallel strips laid down in the field
• Plots of size of 4 m2 to 25 m2
• Sampling intensity of 0.01% for more
than 500 ha area
• Inventory season is august (as per
guideline)

15.  25 Districts
 2 Protected Areas
 Highest quantities in Humla
 AAH 935 Metric tons
425
50
50
50
48.6
47
42.621
39.92
29.15
25
22
20.5
20.231
18.233
13.163
8
5
4.9
3
2.25
2
1.654
1.575
1.5
1.2
1.14
1
0.66
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450
Humla
Jumla
Dailekh
Shey Phoksundo National Parks
Mugu
Bajhang
Bajura
Dolpa
Kalikot
Taplejung
Rukum East
Rolpa
Lamajung
Manang
Jajarkot
Rukum West
Doti
Gorkha
Pyuthan
Sindhupalchok
Dhading
Baglung
Api Nampa Conservation Area, Darchula
Ramechhap
Solukhumbu
Myagdi
Nuwakot
Rasuwa
AAH (Metric tons)
Source: District level Five year Plan and Environmental Report
The EIA Report of Jatamansi Harvesting
has been approved by the MoFE
(Hon. Minister Level Decision of 24 Oct. 2018)

16. Trade Status

17. CITES Specimen Trade Status
17
_KG

18. CITES Specimen Trade Status
18

19. • Forest inventory is carried out every five years to
prepare five year management plan of dfos and
protected/conservation areas.
•Regular monitoring by forest directorate office.
•Dofsc also conducts regular monitoring work
•Environmental assessment obligatory
•Five year management plan of the districts are
strictly followed by concerned district.
Species management, Population Monitoring, Harvesting and trade, including legal
protection
• Harvesting guideline has to be prepared by respective
dfos before issuing permit for collection.
•Resource inventory register and list of
authorized/registered collector's form is maintained
•Final release order issued by dfo/ chief warden of
conservation /protected areas
With all these strict government rules and regulations in place, we can assure that the proper harvesting
technique is implemented and rotational harvesting system is adopted during wild collection of N. Jatamansi.
(Ex: only 55% of GS is allowed to collect)

20. Threats to the Species
• Poverty of the local community
•Lack of alternative means of livelihood
•Difficult topography to carry out proper and systematic inventory
•Low investment in conservation of N. Jatamansi
• lack of properties and chemical constituents
•Lack of propagation, cultivation and sustainable harvesting

21. Acknowledgement
• DNPWC
• DPR
• Sanjiv Rai, DG, DPR
• Madan Kumar Khadka, Research
Officer, DPR
• Mr. Gopal Bhattarai, DDG,
DNPWC
• Ms. Kalpana Sharma Dhakal, DPR

22. Thank You