They can be reviewed in
chronological order or searc
hed by keyword.August 13, 1999
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a new action yesterday to ensure the long-term conservation and sustainable use of American wild ginseng. Effectively immediately for the 1999 harvest, the agency will issue export permits only for mature wild and wild-simulated ginseng roots.
Since ginseng plants begin to reproduce seeds after 5 years, it is critical that only mature plants be harvested to ensure their replacement and the long-term survival of the species. The age of ginseng roots is determined by counting the number of bud scale scars on the roots, with one scar produced per year. People who dig wild ginseng, which grows in forests, can also can easily determine the age of the plants.
The Service's goal is to ensure that underage plants are not removed from the wild before they produce seeds. The new provisions do not affect the more than 2 million pounds of cultivated ginseng roots exported from the United States every year.
Ginseng, a perennial, is an understory herb found in the mixed hardwood forests of the northeastern, midwestern, and southeastern United States and in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. It is long-lived, with a life expectancy of at least 60 years. Recent surveys indicate declining populations in some parts of the species' range, and biologists are concerned that ginseng is not being allowed to reach maturity in the wild.
To determine and monitor the health of wild ginseng, the Service is working in close cooperation with the states, the scientific community, and other Federal agencies such as the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
Until now, it was believed that the wild ginseng populations found in national parks and national forests were sufficiently healthy. However, new information provided by the National Park Service reveals that the species is declining in spite of the fact that collecting ginseng within the parks is unlawful. For example, although Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee is important ginseng habitat that was believed to be secure, populations in the park have recently been found to be depleted. Significant poaching of wild ginseng has also been reported. Similar trends have been reported by U.S. Forest Service botanists in various national forests within the species' range. Also, there have been recent declines in the amount of wild ginseng harvested in many states.
Wild ginseng root has been valued as a medicine in Asia for centuries where it is believed to enhance physical and mental vitality. Although cultivated extensively, wild ginseng roots are preferred in Asian communities and are much more valuable. In 1977, because of the high demand for wild roots, American ginseng was listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, a treaty that regulates trade in animals and plants to ensure the survival of wild populations. An Appendix II listing means that export permits must be issued by the country of origin stating that a particular shipment is not harmful to the survival of that species in the wild. The Service has allowed the export of wild ginseng on a state-by-state basis since the CITES listing in 1977.
According to export data collected by the Service, the U.S. legally exported more than two million pounds of cultivated ginseng roots in 1997. Also in 1997, the U.S. exported approximately 110,000 pounds of wild roots. Virtually all of the ginseng is exported to Asia (Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia). (Corrected figures for 1997)
In addition to ensuring the reproduction of wild ginseng, the new export measure is aimed at helping range States stem the poaching of wild roots by providing consistent law enforcement throughout the country. Nineteen states have programs approved by the Fish and Wildlife Service for the export of wild ginseng. They are Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 93-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge comprised of more than 500 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands, and other special management areas. It also operates 66 national fish hatcheries, 64 fish and wildlife management assistance offices, and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state wildlife agencies.
| Patricia Fisher | 202-208-5634 |
On 18 August 1997 the following correction was posted:
The correct export information for ginseng roots is as follows: In 1997, the United States legally exported 527,547 pounds of cultivated ginseng roots and 22,929 pounds of wild roots.
Converted to HTML from e-mail posted by mitch_snow@mail.fws.gov to fws-news. To subscribe to fws-news send a message to majordomo@www.fws.gov with "subscribe fws-news" (and omit the "quotes") in the **body** of the message. You should not include anything on the Subject: line.
News releases are also available directly from the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service at http://www.fws.gov/r9extaff/pubaff.html. They can be reviewed in
chronological order or searc
hed by keyword.
Questions concerning a particular news release or item of
information should be directed to the person listed as the
contact. General comments or observations concerning the content of
the information should be directed to Craig Rieben
in the Office of Public
Affairs.
Other documents and press releases available on this server
