plant savers site

[Guest guest]

I found the " At Risk " list very interesting. I am not sure of the validity

of these claims, but it gives me more reason to plant my own and spread them

around. )

 

Love and Blessings,

Vicki

 

 

UNITED PLANT SAVERS WEB SITE

by Leisa Pichard

 

 

Are you concerned about the rapid decline of native medicinal plants? If

you're not, you should be. All reports indicate that the burgeoning herbal

and dietary supplement industry has had a devastating impact on native plant

populations. What this means is that many wild populations of important

medicinal plants are either threatened or verging on extinction. Loss of

habitat, over harvesting, or the sensitive nature of many of these plants

has caused sharp declines in plant populations.

 

While cultivated varieties of many of these plants are being used in many

supplements, the wild, or native, plants are generally seen as more potent.

Those looking for a quick buck don't hesitate to decimate entire stands of

wild ginseng or goldenseal--for example--when they find them. With the loss

of these wild populations, we also lose biodiversity--and perhaps the

ability to produce healthy cultivated varieties in the future.

 

If you're interested in this problem and wondering what can be done, check

out the United Plant Savers Web site. This site is heavily

pro-environmental, with links to organizations and news sources that provide

coverage of a large variety of environmental issues. However, the main goal

of the site is to provide lists of " at risk " and " to watch " native plants

that have suffered over harvesting. You can to the newsletter,

send an email about the plant lists, or simply keep up with native plant

populations.

 

If you like to gather plants from the wild, please check the list first, and

then consider finding alternative sources if recommended. Visit the site at

 

http://www.plantsavers.org/