978-1-4222-3389-4

26 North American Natural Resources: Timber and Forest Products

Fresh ginseng root.

It is illegal to harvest wild ginseng in many places. Be sure to check with the local and state regulations before gathering ginseng. Ginseng is an important player in the health and productivity of a forest. Fungi

and other decomposers are found on the forest floor. Decomposers break down the chemicals from dead organisms and waste products and return them to the soil. This recycles the nutrients in the ecosystem. Ginseng provides nutrients for the decomposers. As a result, the practice of poaching ginseng has become of great concern to environmentalists, foresters, and others. While the poaching of elephants for their ivory tusks gets a lot of attention, the poaching of a small root is not as exciting. However, poachers know the risks and still gather the herb illegally. In some markets, a pound of wild ginseng can be worth $800!

A Costly Herb In 2011, three men were given fines and jail time for poaching ginseng from Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. The men were found with over 11 pounds (5 kilograms) of ginseng, which they gathered in one day. One man was fined $5,540 and ordered to serve 75 days in jail, while the others received lighter sentences.