Wild American ginseng is one of the most important of the nontimber forest products collected in the mountain areas of the Eastern United States. There is a broad interest in ensuring that the people who harvest this plant do so in a manner that protects it for the future. This interest extends from the collectors themselves to their customers, and also to non-profit organizations and regulatory agencies.

The Good Stewardship Harvesting of Wild American Ginseng brochures available on this page were developed with input and review by members of the American Herbal Products Association; by state ginseng coordinators throughout American ginseng’s U.S. range and by personnel at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service; and by the board of United Plant Savers (and also the board of the Roots of Appalachia Growers Association for the Ohio brochure).

The harvest practices presented in this brochure are provided in order to encourage people who collect wild American ginseng to act as stewards of the plant and of its habitat. By following these guidelines, you will contribute to a sustainable future for wild American ginseng and preserve a long-standing American tradition

There are 19 versions of the brochure, one for each of the states that allow export of wild American ginseng. Each of the state-specific brochures presents information about the particular rules that apply to harvesters and buyers of wild American ginseng in that state, and also provides contact information for the relevant state regulatory offices.

There is also a brochure that presents information about the regulations for exporting wild American ginseng.

Printing Instructions

To print any of these brochures, simply click below on the state of your choice and download it to your computer. Set your printer to “landscape” to ensure proper layout. Also, note that the documents are designed for two-sided printing, so make sure of how to load the originals into your copying machine so they print properly.

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open these documents, which is available (free) by clicking on this icon: 

Please contact AHPA if you note any needed corrections or can provide new information for any of the brochures. Also feel free contact us if you have any trouble opening or printing these pamphlets. Phone Katia Fowler: 301-588-1171, ext 104 or email: kfowler@ahpa.org.