Organic and Wild Harvested Herbs and Herbal Remedies

Towards a Wild Harvesting Ethic
"Wild Harvesting: The collecting of medicinal, edible or ornamental plants from the wild."

Artemisia Botanicals Co. practices ethical wild harvesting—when we cannot obtain wild herbs without endangering their continued abundance, we choose other alternatives instead. We use organically grown alternatives to wild plants whenever possible.

Plant species are disappearing from the planet at an alarming rate. By some estimates, as many as 20,000 plant species vanish every year (United Plant Savers & World Wildlife Fund, 1997). Ethical wild harvesting requires an intimate knowledge of the ecosystem from which one harvests, its health, and the condition of its plant communities. Why is this important? The health of the ecosystem can determine the quality and potency of an herb. Moreover, taking plants from a stressed or already over-harvested area might well mean that the picker is contributing to the destruction of that ecosystem.

Osha (Ligusticum porteri) is used in many of our tincture formulas; this plant is on the United Plant Savers endangered list. Osha's powerful medicinal qualities make it a highly effective and very desirable herb—it is also difficult to find a satisfactory
alternative.

The San Juan Mountains, near our home, feature some of the country's largest stands of this wonderful plant. Artemisia Botanicals takes great care to harvest Osha only from large healthy stands, in small amounts, and to always replant root crowns, scatter seed, and divide and replant roots. We’ll continue to use Osha only until we find a suitable alternative and use other plants on the UPS "to watch" list, using our same thoughtful wild-harvesting practices. We do purchase organically grown varieties of these plants whenever possible.

Please contact us with your questions about wild harvesting.

Jennie Blechman, Clinical Herbalist

Artemisia Botanicals Co, Pagosa Springs Colorado

We only use organically grown or ethically wild harvested plants and organic, pure grain alcohol to extract the beneficial properties from the herbs for our tinctures and other herbal remedies.

Precautions for your safety and welfare: All of our products and statements are based on traditional herbal uses and knowledge, and the beliefs of Certified Clinical Herbalist Jennie Blechman. Artemisia Botanical’s web site content is intended for educational purposes only. This precaution is emphasized for pregnant and nursing women and children. The statements in this web site have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. The information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prescribe for any medical conditions, or prevent diseases. We advise you to seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional who can provide supervision and support with regard to your healthcare options, prior to using herbs.