[MPWG] History Channel's ‘Appalachian Outlaws’

[Ford, Patricia]

The History Channel (http://www.history.com/) aired a new program called
‘Appalachian Outlaws’ on January 9, 2014, with two more episodes scheduled
for Jan. 16th and 22nd, about a group of American ginseng diggers and
buyers.  Many members of the MPWG listserve have reported that the
program glorifies
illegal harvest of American ginseng (*Panax quinquefolius*) by showing
diggers blatantly trespassing on public and private lands and harvesting
under-age ginseng plants.  Additionally, the United Plant Savers and the
American Herbal Products Association have publicly come out against the
program.


State regulations for the harvest and buying of wild American ginseng are
designed to ensure that ginseng roots are legally and sustainable
harvested.  The harvest of ginseng plants that are too young (plants with
fewer than 3 compound leaves/prongs and under 5 years of age), plants with
green fruits, and harvesting too many plants, could wipe out wild American
ginseng and lead to the collapse of this multi-million dollar industry.


Poaching ginseng from public and private property should not be encouraged
and it is illegal punishable by State and Federal laws.  Protected lands
where ginseng harvest is not permitted, such as State lands, National Parks
and some U.S. Forest Service lands, provide necessary refugia which helps
to safeguard the long-term survival of this species into the future.  The
right to own land is one of the most valued rights of Americans, poaching
ginseng from private property deprives the rightful landowner income from
their lands.


Last week, when we learned of the program, we, the U.S., Fish and Wildlife
Service, contacted the History Channel about the program and sent them
relevant information about the State/Federal management of American
ginseng, and our key messages were posted on the program’s website at:
http://www.history.com/shows/appalachian-outlaws/articles/ginseng-facts.  We
hope to expand our involvement with the History Channel to urge them to
incorporate information about the importance of sustainable and legal
harvest, and that there are responsible diggers that practice and encourage
good stewardship harvest of wild American ginseng.


The parent company of the History Channel is AE Network.  Feedback on the
program can be sent to aefeedback at aenetworks.com.  Or to A&E Television
Networks, 235 East 45th Street, New York, New York 10017; or phone or fax
the network at: 212-210-1400 (phone) or 212-210-9016 (fax).


To learn more about the legal harvest and trade of American ginseng, please
visit: http://www.fws.gov/international/plants/american-ginseng.html;
http://www.ahpa.org/Default.aspx?tabid=154, and contact your State agency
that manages ginseng.
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