Last year, the U.S. Forest Service didn’t issue any wild ginseng permits. This year, there still aren’t enough plants to harvest in the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests.
It could take a few more years before there are enough plants to sustainably harvest, according to the Forest Service.
“Ginseng harvest has been part of Appalachian culture for generations, and we want to see that continue into the next generation. Suspending ginseng harvest helps ensure wild ginseng on our national forests can rebuild its population. If we keep harvesting, the danger is that they’ll completely disappear from this area,” said Gary Kauffman, botanist for the National Forests in North Carolina in a press release.
The Forest Service says the low number of plants are due to 250 years of commercial harvesting and cut the number of permits by 75 percent in 2014.
Kauffman has worked with local organizations to reintroduce ginseng seeds into the national forests.
Removing wild ginseng or its parts from national forest without a permit is illegal. The fine is up to $5,000, a 6-month sentence in federal prison, or both.