Good Stewardship Harvesting Brochures

Good Stewardship Harvesting Brochures


Oshá Sustainability

Oshá, which is also known as Colorado cough root, Porter's lovage, loveroot, bear root, mountain ginseng, nipo, and chuchupate, has a long history of use in the U.S. Southwest. The majority of oshá harvested is from the wild, which has prompted research on cultivation, specifically on germinating osha from seed and demonstrating successful propagation from vegetative crown cuttings.

The difficulties of cultivating oshá, the wildcrafting of roots from older plants, and consumer demand for its medicinal qualities have raised concerns of over-harvest. Yet the concern that osha populations are declining is difficult to prove because of a lack of scientific data as populations are not tracked by any state or federal conservation agencies; there are no comprehensive management strategies in place for the conservation of this species.

In order to determine if oshá populations require conservation measures, populations need to be monitored and additional research into oshá propagation and sustainable harvesting practices is needed. In response, a collaborative effort between the University of Kansas, the Missouri Botanical Garden, and the U.S. Forest Service, with funding from the AHPA-ERB Foundation, was implemented to study populations of osha and assess the sustainability of oshá root harvesting.

Data from that multi-year longitudinal sustainable harvest study of wild osha populations were used to prepare the AHPA Good Stewardship brochure.

Read more about Oshá Sustainability here.


Saw Palmetto Brochure


American Wild Ginseng Brochures

Wild American ginseng is one of the most important of the nontimber forest products collected in the mountains of the Eastern U.S. There is broad interest among harvesters, consumers, nonprofit organizations and regulatory agencies to ensure the harvest of this plant is sustainable. The harvest practices presented in these brochures encourage wild American ginseng collectors to act as stewards of the plant and its habitat. By following these guidelines, you will contribute to a sustainable future for wild American ginseng and help preserve a long-standing American tradition. Click on your state to download a free PDF brochure with the state's guidelines for responsible wild American ginseng harvesting. AHPA also provides a free brochure on wild American ginseng export regulations.
Alabama
Arkansas
Georgia

Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kentucky
Maryland
Minnesota
Missouri

New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania

Tennessee
Virginia
Vermont
West Virginia
Wisconsin 

Questions, comments or corrections? Please contact AHPA's Merle Zimmermann at 301-588-1171, ext 106 or email: ginseng@ahpa.org. About the brochures There are 19 versions of the brochure, one for each of the states that allows export of wild American ginseng. Each brochure presents the state's rules and regulations for harvesters and buyers of wild American ginseng and contact information for the relevant state regulatory offices.

These brochures were developed with input and review by members of the American Herbal Products Association, state ginseng coordinators, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, United Plant Savers, and the Roots of Appalachia Growers Association (for the Ohio brochure).

Printing instructions To print any of these brochures, simply click below on the state of your choice and download it to your computer. Set your printer to “landscape” to ensure proper layout. Also, note that the documents are designed for two-sided printing, so make sure of how to load the originals into your copying machine so they print properly. For further information See WildGinsengConservation.com for more information on wild American ginseng. This site is registered by West Virginia University and states its purpose as “to provide state-of-the-art scientific information to the public and to policymakers for the purpose of conserving American ginseng for the long-term.”


2022 Annual Fund Sponsors

AHPA appreciates the support of its sponsors, but does not endorse, recommend, or provide a warranty for any sponsor company, its products or services. AHPA has no responsibility for any transaction entered into with any of these companies.