Date of Award
8-29-2022
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Degree Type
Dissertation
Abstract
American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) is a medicinal plant native to eastern North America. Though the plant has a history of Indigenous use, wild American ginseng roots have been commercially harvested, primarily for export to east Asia, since the 18th century. There is a long history of harvesting ginseng in Appalachia as a source of supplementary income, as living-wage jobs in the region have historically been scarce. Today, harvesters can make hundreds of dollars per pound of dried, wild-harvested American ginseng roots. However, ginseng populations in the wild today are thought to be substantially smaller than their historical peak, which may be due to the impacts of overharvesting. Ginseng is a slow-growing perennial that can take ten or more years to reach reproductive maturity, so it is thought to be particularly vulnerable to disturbances such as harvesting. Conservationists note that poor Appalachian ginseng harvesters frequently break rules intended to protect ginseng and suggest that ginseng decline is primarily due to irresponsible harvesting practices and a willingness to overlook environmental impact for short-term gain. This dissertation argues instead that many ginseng diggers adhere to a rural, working-class environmentalism that emphasizes sustainable resource use, which is frequently overlooked by mainstream environmentalists who emphasize “pristine,” “untouched” wilderness. This dissertation explores the tension between these two environmentalisms through three specific conflicts related to ginseng harvesting and conservation: illegal ginseng harvesting, planting farmed ginseng seeds in the wild, and growing “wild-simulated” ginseng in habitats crafted to mimic the wild. I show that many poor Appalachian ginseng harvesters care deeply about the health of their local environment and take steps to protect it, and suggest that declining ginseng populations are due to a combination of other factors, including habitat loss, herbivore overpopulation, and a minority of ginseng harvesters who do use unsustainable practices. I conclude with a brief overview of recommendations for landowners and policymakers based on my research that are intended to increase wild ginseng populations as well as benefit the people who rely on ginseng income.
Language
English (en)
Chair and Committee
Glenn Stone
Recommended Citation
Farley, Katherine, "Wild Roots: Ginseng, Conservation, and Nature in the Appalachian South" (2022). Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 3242.
https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/art_sci_etds/3242