Black Cohosh - Non-Timber Forest Products

Note:
1. PIERS data reflects a conservative estimate of black cohosh exports
because black cohosh does not have its own source code. Examples
of the source codes that black cohosh may be exported under include
“crude natural drugs and herbs,” “leaves, moss, polle, roots, veg prod,”
“miscellaneous,” “herbs and spices,” “vat dyes,” “flavors, essences,
esters,” etc.
2. The PIERS control officer may not record the common or scientific name
of the plant material.
3. Because PIERS is available only in 18-month increments, it is difficult to
obtain accurate information for more than one harvest season.
Further analysis of the PCs and port data revealed that the exports from
these two sources do not overlap, but represent different shipments. Thus,
by adding the total exports from these two data sources, a more accurate
reflection of exports of black cohosh from 1999 through 2002 would be
around 1,317,234 roots.
Conservation Status
Wild-harvest and habitat destruction have led to the decline or
disappearance of many black cohosh populations. Black cohosh is listed as
endangered in Illinois and Massachusetts (U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Natural Resources Conservation Service 2001), and is included on the
United Plant Savers “At-Risk” list (United Plant Savers, no date). According
to NatureServe (2002), black cohosh has a secure (G4) global heritage status
rank; however, NatureServe acknowledges that increased market demand
has put pressure on wild populations, and recommends that the conservation
status be reviewed within the next 2 or 3 years (NatureServe Explorer 2002).
In 2001, as evidence of conservation threats began mounting, black cohosh
was considered for Appendix II listing on the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora; lack of information
led to its withdrawal from consideration (Lyke 2001).
Industry, academia, and the Federal Government are conducting research
into various aspects of conservation. The Medicinal Plant Working Group,
Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Garden Club of America
are cooperating on a long-term monitoring study to determine regeneration
rates and the impact of varying harvest levels on black cohosh (Ford 2000,
Kauffman 2002, Schlosser 2002). The University of Massachusetts and the
New York Botanical Garden are collaborating on a rangewide study of the
genetic diversity of black cohosh. Results from this study on the relatedness
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