The Albanian Mountain Tea (Sideritis Raeseri) is one of the most endangered plants.
Albania faces the highest level of loss of rare vegetation in Europe. A UNDP Ecosystem Management Report at the Prespa Lake Basin shows that the Albanian Mountain Tea (Sideritis Raeseri) is one of the most endangered plants in Albania.
In this report, it is noted that this kind of tea is considered as a plant threatened of extinction, with a decline of 50% over a period of 20 years, and is in the Albanian Protected Species list.According to the study included in the Law on the Protection of Medicinal Herbs containing Tanic Acid and Essential Oils, the medicinal herbs in pastures and lawns should be collected by authorized people.
Another study shows that in Albania, the collecting in nature and selling medicinal and aromatic herbs is the main source of income for poor rural households.
In the Albanian part of Prespa Park, the number of people collecting these plants for sale reaches 50, most of whom are women.
But local experts say the number of so-called "casual gatherers" of these plants can be approximated to 1500 people.
Apart from the inhabitants of the area, some collectors of these plants come from the city of Korça. The data on annual plant quantities are in fact not accurate.
Furthermore, there is no proper control system over the collecting of the mountain tea, collected quantities or registered collectors of this plant.
The UNDP report, which also includes an action plan, states that this tea is is one of the 70 medicinal and aromatic herbs that are collected and sold in the Prespa area.
This tea is of special economic importance for the local communities.
It remains one of the most popular and richest antioxidant tea in treating problems with the digestion, breathing and strengthening of the immune system.