Youthful recycling

Samir Sobhi finds out how dry leaves and chocolate wrappers, empty carton boxes and toothpaste tubes turned into works of art by Syrian youngsters

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Children had fun and made good use of their time at the festival

Experts agree that Sinai is one of the world's richest areas in medicinal plants, especially around the St Catherine area -- the reason behind a recent resurgence of national and international efforts to make use of these plants' qualities. In January 2003, the Environmental Affairs Agency began cooperating with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) on a project aiming to preserve and ensure the sustainable use of Egyptian medicinal plants in dry and semi-dry ecological systems. Project director Mohamed Al-Demerdash has supervised the training of personnel and updated the geographical data systems unit with the Protectorate of St Catherine. The unit is now offering environmental monitoring and protecting endangered plant species.

"Our team has been in touch with over 600 scientists and businessmen with an interest in promoting medicinal plants," Al-Demerdash explained. "The project has already created 50 jobs in the pharmaceutical sector, providing employment for fresh graduates as well as the local community." The programme intersects with various scientific activities, he explained, including the Genetic Resources Policy Initiative (GRPI). Indeed a farm with 374 medicinal plants has been established, with a digital database of over 950 pictures. The seeds of 84 species have been preserved at the genetic bank of the Desert Research Centre, while 38 species are being cultivated on a large scale in greenhouses, with over 100,000 saplings to be used in the international botanic garden in Sharm El-Sheikh and to help local Bedouin make profitable business. The project has managed to preserve the genetic origins of rare strains of non-medicinal plants as well, creating four educational farms covering an area of 10 acres.

Efforts are also underway to establish a laboratory for tissue implants, a technique used to produce saplings, which should improve the genetic constitution of medicinal plants throughout the country. Several seriously endangered plants have been preserved: acacias, morengas and cedars. They are now being re-introduced into the environment with involvement from the local community. About 200 Bedouin have been trained to use modern cultivation methods, and already the local community is producing honey from bees feeding on the nectar of mountain medicinal plants. A total of 150 beehives have been handed to Bedouins to help them start honey farms. Researchers working with the project have held some 436 interviews with people who are knowledgeable about ancient medicinal practice. According to Al-Demerdash, "the project involves documenting local traditions related to 50 medicinal plants in the St Catherine region alone, covering names, indications and mode of use."