Indiana's Department of Natural Resources has stopped allowing harvest of ginseng and goldenseal roots from state forests, reservoirs, and fish and wildlife properties. Penalties will be imposed on harvesters who ignore the ban. The reason for this new ruling is painfully clear to people who use and respect the native medicinal plants. Ginseng and goldenseal roots and other native medicinal plants are being harvested to extinction all over our country. Another view of a gingseng plant in its natural habitat.
Greed plays heavily into the picture.
Due to the rise in use of herbal remedies, the demand for ginseng and goldenseal has increased in huge proportions over the last few years. As the demand has gone up the supply of these wild plants has been dwindling, thereby increasing the price paid for the harvest. Wildcrafters are trying to meet the demand and make some money by harvesting younger roots and not enough roots are left behind to reproduce and replace the decreasing numbers of plants. Here in Indiana it is taking more roots of each plant to make a pound than it did a few years ago, proof that the younger plants are being harvested. It is just a matter of time before supply outstrips the demand.