Background

Arnica (Arnica montana L.) is highly endangered in Germany (endangerment level 3 of the Red List of Ferns and Flowering Plants of the Federal Republic of Germany) and is protected according to the Federal Nature Conservation Act (Bundesnaturschutzgesetz). The species grows on meager, acidic meadow sites from valleys to high altitudes of the low mountain ranges and in the Alps also above 2000 m. Suitable sites such as nutrient-poor grassland have decreased sharply in Germany. This is often due to a lack of utilization opportunities for farmers, so that the sites fallow.

The BMEL-funded model and demonstration project (MuD) "Revitalization and ecological upgrading of soil acidic nutrient-poor grasslands through the enrichment and sustainable use of the medicinal plant Arnica montana" addresses this problem in order to preserve the remaining occurrences of mountain arnica in situ. The aim is to enhance nutrient-poor grassland and to create utilization opportunities through land management and additional enrichment with Arnica montana L. This will simultaneously increase the biodiversity of flowering plants and insects on the grassland. The project establishes sustainable marketing of Arnica flowers and the creation of genetic reserves for Arnica.

Arnica genetic conservation areas

The first eight genetic reserves for Arnica montana were established in August 2023 in the Vogelsberg district near Marburg. The Arnica Network for Hesse is coordinated by the Botanical Garden of the University of Marburg. They work directly with the local stakeholders.