[MPWG] Doctoral question "ginseng poaching" and advice

[Center for Sustainable Resources]

Dear Sir, This is an increasing concern among growers as investments in 
ginseng plantings have become more serious amounts of money on the ground. 
The area you refer too in SE Ohio is a hot bed for poaching issues perhaps 
because more people live there than you find in WV where I am.
Most poaching issues we find nowadays go unpunished because poachers 
traditionally have senged without boudaries throughout WV. Poaching however 
is less of a problem in WV these days simply because less and less people 
actually dig ginseng. The old timers are dying off. Not many young people 
these days learn this tradition.
However with the investments of growers mentioned just one poacher can do a 
lot of damage quickly in more intensively planted areas.
Proposed legislation in WV at this time will require that diggers have 
written permission from a landowner to dig , that they have a permit for 
digging ginseng if they dig on property other than their own and penalties 
for ginseng theft will be treated more severely. I stress this is proposed 
legislation . History shows us that thieves garner more support from 
government than working people quite often.
As a founding memebr of the WVGGA I stress security issues with growers. 
Layout of the operation and the many mechanisms for catching would be thiefs 
are all important. During the past two years no one has been prosecuted in 
WV for ginseng poaching although a few accounts of theft have occurred. The 
problem is that if the thief is caught then it becomes your word against 
theirs.
The same proposed legislation will address a certification process for 
growers such that plantings will be on record and can't be disposed of as 
simply wild ginseng the landowner wanted to claim.
I hope this helps.
e have our own methods here which can't be discussed publicly. However I 
will just say that when I catch a tresspasser I have never had one to come 
back again. Fred Hays

>From: "R&J Pokladnik" <randi at clover.net>
>To: <MPWG at lists.plantconservation.org>
>Subject: [MPWG] Doctoral question "ginseng poaching" and advice
>Date: Sun, 13 Feb 2005 11:09:38 -0500
>
>Dear MPWG readers,
>
>I am a doctoral student at Antioch New England in Keene, New Hampshire and 
>am about to embark on the doctoral research portion of my dissertation. I 
>have been working with issues surrounding ginseng, in particular poaching 
>and its effects on growers and the development of sustainable economic 
>development in rural areas of Appalachia.
>My preliminary question:
>
>How does the problem of poaching affect current ginseng growers and what 
>are the implications for continued development of ginseng based NTFP 
>programs in Appalachia?
>
>
>
>I have lived in rural SE Ohio for 50 years and have watched the poverty and 
>environmental destruction go unchecked in many regions. My background is in 
>chemistry and environmental studies (no biology).  I am interested in 
>discussing the effects of poaching with the rural growers. I am very 
>supportive of woods cultivated ginseng programs and the possibility of 
>economic gains in areas that support these programs.  My intentions are to 
>help growers with this research and  I am asking for suggestions that you 
>feel would direct this question and my research to that end. I am working 
>with a deadline to submit my proposal by May 1 and any help would be 
>appreciated.
>
>
>
>Please email me directly at Randi at clover.net.
>
>
>
>Thanks!
>
>Randi Pokladnik
>
>Tappan Road
>
>Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683
>
>
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