Wild Herb Foraging and Sustainable Development: Links Between Ecosystem Services, Cultural Practices, and Well‐Being in Czech Forest Landscapes

ABSTRACT Wild herb foraging represents an important component of non‐wood forest products, contributing to provisioning, regulating, and cultural ecosystem services. Yet national‐scale evidence on its use and social drivers remains limited. Using a nationally representative survey ( N = 1000), we examine wild herb foraging in Czech forests, including species collected, their uses, and associated socio‐demographic and visitation patterns, and highlight their conservation status and ecosystem service significance to inform sustainable resource use. Results show that 36% of the respondents engage in wild herb foraging, with significantly higher participation among women, highly educated respondents, and frequent forest visitors. Sambucus nigra (European elderberry), Urtica dioica (common nettle), and Tilia sp. (linden) are among the most frequently harvested species, including several of conservation concern, underscoring the need to integrate biodiversity conservation into sustainable forest management. Our findings demonstrate that wild herb foraging contributes to human health and well‐being, supports more sustainable consumption practices, and strengthens cultural ecosystem services, thereby directly linking to Sustainable Development Goals 3, 12, and 15.