madisonsaferillustration: With herbalism’s popularity on the rise, its easy to understand the
madisonsaferillustration: With herbalism’s popularity on the rise, its easy to understand the draw of working with plants. For most new herbalist the most exciting thing aspect wildcrafting and harvesting herbs (and for myself as well). But as herbalism becomes more prevalent around us, understanding and practicing truly sustainable wildcrafting is so vital to creating a sustainable future for both the plants and their environment. If we are not weaving ethics into harvesting practices then it becomes exploitative, damaging and putting entire species at risk (@unitedplantsavers ). At its best, it looks like wild-tending, understanding how to work with a plant so that it will be left to come up for many generations. If we are going to harvest wild plants, there are practices that can respect the plants without depleting their sources. Robin Wall Kimmerer, Writer, Plant Ecologist, and enrolled member of the Citizen Band Potawatomi, calls it The Honorable Harvest. In her book Braiding Sweetgrass, she talks about this concept in such a profound way and I would highly encourage any new or old herbal enthusiasts or plant lovers to read. These guidelines are something that I’ve adapted from her writings on how I can best collect without leaving a mark *information via @milkandhoneyherbs . -- source link