One aspect about the…

One aspect about the Endangered Species Act that I think could be improved relates to the commercial cultivation of vascular plants. While I understand the rationale in prohibiting the cultivation of these plants in the 'wild' since it may displace actual wild populations of these plants, I believe this is unlikely to happen. Some of these endangered plants exist in such small populations that cultivated plants can be grown in large areas of the 'wild' without negatively affecting wild populations of said plants. Take American Ginseng, for example. It is very hard to find, and any known locations are kept secret from the public. Nevertheless, demand continues to be extremely high, and poaching remains an issue. Would it not then make sense to allow landowners to grow American ginseng beneath a forest canopy, thereby creating a superior product to field-grown ginseng, and fulfilling some of the demand for wild ginseng? I should clarify some points here before I go any further. Growing ginseng beneath a forest canopy (wild-simulated) does not involve tilling the soil, and could be done in existing sugar bush operations, for example. There is a demand for wild ginseng, so growing wild-simulated ginseng, which is virtually indistinguishable from real wild ginseng, could fulfill this demand. The farmers growing ginseng underneath shadecloth in the Norfolk County area are growing a commodity product that is unsuited for fulfilling the demand for wild ginseng.

Allowing the cultivation of wild-simulated ginseng beneath a forest canopy will also attach more economic value to a woodlot, thereby providing a disincentive to clear it for agriculture or other developments. I believe this is one way we could reduce pressures on private woodlots in this province without it costing taxpayers anything. The private woodlots in southern and central Ontario harbour many endangered species, and I believe positive outcomes can be achieved by maintaining and expanding this valuable forest cover.

Many US States allow for the cultivation of wild-simulated ginseng, and this is entirely compliant with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The United Plant Savers, an organization devoted to preserving plants, promotes 'conservation through cultivation' as a good way to preserve plants.

We have seen that since the inception of the ESA, American ginseng populations have not expanded, but continue to be poached. I think the best outcomes can be achieved by allowing landowners to grow wild-simulated ginseng in their woodlots.

Supporting Links

https://unitedplantsavers.org/conservation-through-cultivation-forest-g…
https://mycotourismekamouraska.com/pdf/Robert_Beyfuss.pdf
https://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/_docs/programs/…
https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/FNR/FNR-530-W.pdf