dibya’s blogosphere

Ethical wildcrafting means harvesting useful plants in the wild so that their long-term sustainability is ensured while providing the needed material to make remedies for humans. It is the duty of the consumer and the practitioner to be knowledgeable about the situation of wildcrafted herbs and to source them responsibly. Before purchasing herbs it is important to ensure that they were organically cultivated or they were wild-harvested and are not on the “at risk” or “to Watch” list.

Why are plants at risk? The increase in demand for herbs, coupled with habitat loss has put a strain on plant populations all over the world. Habitat loss is the greatest threat to plants. Industry, development, pollution, agriculture, and invasive plant species are all contributing to the destruction of the native plant habitats. Sudden surges in popularity, such as with St. John’s wort, can cause irreparable damage to a plant’s population status.

India is the world’s largest producer of medicinal plants, but its wild native plants are becoming sparse. Plants growing only in select regions, which are in great demand by both herbal and pharmaceutical companies, are of particular concern for ethical wildcrafting today. Domestically, these include the North American goldenseal, blue and black cohosh, and blood root, among many others. It is certainly easier to determine the status of domestically-harvested herbs. Therefore, avoiding imported herbs and researching the origins of domestic herbs are ways to help assure that they are ethically wildcrafted or cultivated organically.

Buying organically cultivated herbs supports the survival of wild plant communities and local farmers. Many “at risk” plants, such as goldenseal, are being extensively cultivated organically with much success. Native populations are slowly stabilizing.

What else can you do? If you wildcraft your own plants, know that bioregional abundance does not ensure a plant’s long-term sustainability. Biological balance is delicate, and care must be taken to monitor plant populations for any effects of wildcrafting, aiming only to increase the abundance. In traditional cultures, a person asks permission before harvesting herbs. Perhaps intuition can be a guide to help you make the wisest decision about whether to harvest or not. Making a flower essence is one way to gain the benefits of a plant without disturbing its life cycle or destroying it. You can also act as stewards by spreading the seeds of existing wild plants and weeding out non-native species.

Essentially, it is in your hands to make the most informed decisions in regard to sourcing plants. Ethical wildcrafting is a practice that will enable the choice of wild plants for generations to come.