Black Cohosh - Non-Timber Forest Products

When experts were asked how many black cohosh rhizomes made up 1
pound of dry material, they provided a broad range of estimates—from
14 6 to 18 (see footnote 3), to as many as 40 (Johannesen 2001). Using a
conservative estimate of 14 roots per dried pound, the number of individual
plants wild-harvested during the 5-year period covered by the surveys
exceeded 19.5 million.
Permit Sales
Wild-harvesting is mostly done on public land, where plants are generally
more accessible (Lyke 2001). Harvest is not allowed on national park land,
but is permitted on Forest Service land. Examining black cohosh collection
permits is one way to estimate wild-harvest; however, this method does
not provide precise numbers because the amount of actual harvest is not
monitored, and poaching is not taken into account.
According to NatureServe Explorer (2002), the Forest Service issued
black cohosh collection permits for 2,200 pounds in 1997, 12,000 pounds
in 1998, and 2,150 pounds in 1999. This amounts to the harvest of nearly
229,000 individual plants (estimating 14 roots per dry pound) during the
3-year period. As there is no requirement to “weigh out” after harvest, the
actual harvest weight cannot be stated with certainty. According to Matthew
Albrecht, 7 the number of black cohosh permits declined after 2000, possibly
due to the market decline.
Seed Harvest
The pressure that the horticultural industry exerts on wild black cohosh seed
production is not quantifiable. Despite the development of several popular
cultivars, pure black cohosh remains popular among horticulturalists. Whole
plants and seeds are the primary commodities sold by the horticultural
industry. Currently, there is no mechanism to monitor the trade in black
cohosh seeds. Because black cohosh reproduces primarily from seed, the
ability to quantify the seed trade is vital to the conservation of the species.
6
Personal communication. 2001. Joe-Ann McCoy, Curator (Medicinals), U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station,
Ames, IA 50014.
7 Personal communication. 2003. Matthew Albrecht, Doctoral Candidate, Ohio University,
Athens, OH 45701.
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