Photo 1. The Lošinj Wild Leek and the Mammoth Wasp (Scolia sp.), illustrated
in the exhibition catalogue (Photo by M. Randić)

EXHIBITION “CRES WILD-GROWING PLANTS AND THE HISTORY OF BILINARENJE (HERBALISM) ” OPENED IN THE CRES MUSEUM

An exhibition entitled “Cres Wild-growing Plants
and the History of Bilinarenje (Herbalism)” was opened on 30 April
2010 in the Arsan Palace, which houses the Cres Museum. The exhibition
was organised through the joint cooperation of the Cres Museum (a part
of the Adult Education Centre of Mali Lošinj), the “Ambroz Haračić”
Secondary School and the Cres Regional Department of the PI “Priroda”.
The PI “Priroda” was active in designing the exhibition, as
well as a catalogue entitled “Modern Day Wild-Plant Gatherers”,
which looks at bilinarenje or the gathering of wild-grown plants from
the perspective of nature protection. Basic guidelines are provided for
bilinars (wild-plant gatherers) in respect of plant life and nature on
Cres Island. The exhibition and catalogue also present a variety of useful
and interesting information concerning botanical research on Cres Island
in the nineteenth century, the tradition of bilinarenje (herbalism), traditional
nutrition and folk medicine, plant management, and wild-growing edible
and medicinal plants found on Cres Island. The results of field research
and a survey conducted by the pupils of the “Ambroz Haračić”
Secondary School and the Cres Regional Department have provided useful
information for further considerations from an environmental perspective.

Assisted by a large number of collaborators, Lidija Kosmos,
Inge Solis and Sunčana Dundov are the authors of this interesting exhibition.
The interest this exhibition has aroused (more than 200 people attended
the exhibition’s opening!) indicates that gathering wild-grown edible
and medicinal plants is becoming a big hit in our region. This is all
the more reason for the PI “Priroda” to urge all potential gatherers
to be careful not to uproot all specimens of a specific type of wild plant,
to take care not to collect wild plants in protected areas, and to learn
about protected and strictly protected taxa before setting off to gather
plants. The exhibition will remain open until the end of June 2010.

Marko Randić