Conservation and commercialisation: A cross-sectional ecological study of medicinal plant use in KwaZulu-Natal.

BackgroundMedicinal plants play a vital role in healthcare, livelihoods, and cultural identity in KwaZulu-Natal. However, increasing commercialization and unsustainable harvesting threaten their long-term availability. Over-exploitation, habitat loss, and unregulated trade have placed several high-value species at ecological risk. This study assessed the sustainability of medicinal plant use in KwaZulu-Natal by examining conservation status, harvesting pressure, habitat change, and commercialization trends without involving human subjects. MethodsA desk-based research design was implemented using published scientific literature, herbarium records, Red List assessments, and government or NGO reports. In addition, a non-destructive ecological survey was conducted through rapid vegetation assessments and species presence mapping in accessible habitats. Sustainability indicators included conservation status, plant parts harvested, regeneration potential, habitat transformation, market demand, and legal protection. Each species was classified using a Sustainability Index (0–100) to determine ecological risk levels. ResultsThe analysis identified multiple widely used medicinal plants, including Hypoxis hemerocallidea, Warburgia salutaris, and Siphonochilus aethiopicus. Species with high commercial demand and destructive harvesting of bulbs, roots, or bark showed limited natural regeneration and were mostly located in areas of pronounced land-cover change. Plants occurring inside protected areas generally received higher sustainability scores compared to those on communal land. Overall, most high-value species fell within the moderate-to-high ecological risk category, suggesting declining wild populations and increased harvesting pressure. ConclusionMedicinal plant use in KwaZulu-Natal remains culturally and economically significant, yet current harvesting practices and habitat degradation are ecologically unsustainable. Slow-growing species and those subject to destructive harvesting are particularly vulnerable. RecommendationsSustainability can be improved through cultivation programmes, community-based harvesting guidelines, and stronger conservation policies. Expanded monitoring, propagation research, and nursery-scale commercialization may reduce pressure on wild populations while maintaining traditional and economic benefits.