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26 North American Natural Resources: Timber and Forest Products
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.
Fresh ginseng root.