Opinion: Appalachian 'diggers' are not the main cause of wild ginseng's decline, but they could be part of the solution

Wild ginseng plants (Va. Ag photo)

Appalachian "diggers" have harvested wild ginseng roots for medicine or sale since the late 1700s, but recently, wild ginseng populations have shrunk and Appalachian diggers have been accused of overharvesting the plant and put under governmental scrutiny. In her opinion for The Conversation, Justine Law, an ecology and environmental studies professor, maintains that local harvesters are not to blame for wild ginseng's decline, but they can be part of the solution.

"I’m an environmental geographer who studies rural livelihoods and conservation in North American forests. As I see it, large-scale threats to ginseng, including mining and climate change, are bigger concerns than small-scale harvesting by negligent diggers. I believe many diggers can be valuable conservation partners," Law writes. "Ginseng was listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora in 1975. This indicated that the plant was not threatened at the time. . . .Today, ginseng is classified as vulnerable in 13 of the 19 states that allow its harvest and sale, subject to state regulations."

The tap roots of wild ginseng plants will fetch thousands of dollars per pound in Asian markets as well as hefty prices in the United States. As the wild ginseng populations declined, "state and federal agencies have tightened ginseng regulations and ramped up enforcement," Law explains. "In 2018, West Virginia increased fines for illegal ginseng harvesting from . . . $100 to between $500 and $1,000 for a first offense. That same year, Ohio began using K-9 dogs to detect ginseng held by people suspected of illegal digging."

Historically, wild ginseng diggers have been blamed for the plant's scarcity since the late 1800s. Law writes, "But diggers are not, and never have been, the only reason for small ginseng populations. Starting in the late 1800s, forests across virtually all of the eastern United States were logged for farming, fuel, and industry."

Most local diggers know the plant's needs for continued growth and harvest it with that in mind. "I have interviewed dozens of ginseng diggers. Nearly all of them harvest only a portion of the plants in a patch, and they will wait until a plant’s berries are ripe before they dig it up and replant the berries," Law adds. "Other researchers have also highlighted diggers’ conservation practices, the complex pressures on ginseng populations and the injustice of excluding Appalachians from their historical forest commons. Still, the 'crooked digger' narrative persists."

Opening up opportunities to Appalachian ginseng harvesters could also help the plant thrive. Law explains, "There’s already a robust movement to plant ginseng seeds under existing forest canopy on private land, but most diggers don’t own land. A complementary effort might distribute seeds to them for planting in designated zones. . . . Participating could be a way to earn ginseng harvesting permits in state or national forests."

To find out more about wild ginseng's history in Appalachia, click here. Watch the video below for a more global view of the plant's history.