Wild Crafting Research Paper
Is Wild Harvesting or Wild Crafting (the gathering of wild plants, vines, trees, and non-forest products for use or sale) an ethical method of making profits from Nature?
Wild Crafting and Harvesting for profit has been going on since the beginning of the human race, and was one of the cornerstones on the founding of the United States. Remember history and the forest commodities and plants that the Native American's exposed us to?
Hungry for food, medicine, and money numerous generations of Americans have tapped the natural storehouses of the woods and waters.
During economic recessions and depressions that we have lived through, many families and individuals survived from what they could harvest and sell or eat from the wild. Families during
the depression dug May apples and sold the roots. This earned them $1.50 per day on good days, keeping the land lord away for one more day.
Hundred's of plants per day were dug, and no thought was given to leaving seed stock for the next year's crop. Nature had always provided and there was no concern for conservation.
Thankfully, attitudes have changed and what was acceptable then is not for today.
Although, laws and regulations have been enacted to protect and limit over harvesting of some medicinal and edible plants and roots, many people still make money with this activity and this causes a heated debate over whether it is ethical to continue this profession and tradition.
This debate raises these questions:
* Is Wild Crafting an ethical method of making money and earning a living in today's economy?
* Can regulations and quotas work in this profession?
Ethic's is defined as:
a set of moral principles or values; a theory or system of moral values; the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group.
Years past, the attitude of most harvesters was if they didn't harvest all that they came upon, then someone coming behind them would harvest the remains, so they might just as well take it all. Nature always provided so why should they regulate themselves with limits.
The impact that wild harvesting and collecting has had on the ecosystem is notable in the laws that have been enacted to regulate size, seasons, and quantities for some forest and plant products.
The most noted example is the American Ginseng.
A strong overseas market for this root, has resulted in more and more individuals seeking this slow growing root crop. Over harvesting threatened this plant's removal from many of its natural habitats.
In this case regulation and harvest limits helped, but not entirely as envisioned. It was the education of the harvester and fostering of personal values and responsibilities toward sustainable wildcrafting and harvesting.
Does ethics enter into this debate?
Yes.
With education on harvesting and its impact on the ecosystem, and the strong personal value system toward responsible limits, wild harvesting or crafting will remain a profitable and ongoing activity providing much needed medicine, food, and non forest products for many generations to come.
Wild Crafting and Harvesting for profit has been going on since the beginning of the human race, and was one of the cornerstones on the founding of the United States. Remember history and the forest commodities and plants that the Native American's exposed us to?
Hungry for food, medicine, and money numerous generations of Americans have tapped the natural storehouses of the woods and waters.
During economic recessions and depressions that we have lived through, many families and individuals survived from what they could harvest and sell or eat from the wild. Families during
the depression dug May apples and sold the roots. This earned them $1.50 per day on good days, keeping the land lord away for one more day.
Hundred's of plants per day were dug, and no thought was given to leaving seed stock for the next year's crop. Nature had always provided and there was no concern for conservation.
Thankfully, attitudes have changed and what was acceptable then is not for today.
Although, laws and regulations have been enacted to protect and limit over harvesting of some medicinal and edible plants and roots, many people still make money with this activity and this causes a heated debate over whether it is ethical to continue this profession and tradition.
This debate raises these questions:
* Is Wild Crafting an ethical method of making money and earning a living in today's economy?
* Can regulations and quotas work in this profession?
Ethic's is defined as:
a set of moral principles or values; a theory or system of moral values; the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group.
Years past, the attitude of most harvesters was if they didn't harvest all that they came upon, then someone coming behind them would harvest the remains, so they might just as well take it all. Nature always provided so why should they regulate themselves with limits.
The impact that wild harvesting and collecting has had on the ecosystem is notable in the laws that have been enacted to regulate size, seasons, and quantities for some forest and plant products.
The most noted example is the American Ginseng.
A strong overseas market for this root, has resulted in more and more individuals seeking this slow growing root crop. Over harvesting threatened this plant's removal from many of its natural habitats.
In this case regulation and harvest limits helped, but not entirely as envisioned. It was the education of the harvester and fostering of personal values and responsibilities toward sustainable wildcrafting and harvesting.
Does ethics enter into this debate?
Yes.
With education on harvesting and its impact on the ecosystem, and the strong personal value system toward responsible limits, wild harvesting or crafting will remain a profitable and ongoing activity providing much needed medicine, food, and non forest products for many generations to come.