Enforcement actions are underway in Highland, Brown and Adams counties, the state said.
Charges involve more than 30 individuals and are focused on harvesting before the valuable plant matures, said Ron Ollis, law enforcement program administrator. Further details about charges won’t be available until next week, he said.
North American ginseng, right now worth $400 a pound, grows in the forest and takes at least five years to mature. It is a prized folk medicine in Asia and has been an export from Ohio since at least the 19th century. Daniel Boone was a trader and the plant was used extensively by Native Americans.
Charges may include digging ginseng without landowner permission, collecting or possession of ginseng during the closed season, failure to maintain accurate records and failure to certify ginseng prior to export.
Ohio certifies about 3,000 pounds of ginseng for export annually and there are 46 licensed ginseng dealers in the state with an estimated 2,000 to 4,000 diggers.
The number of diggers varies annually depending on market conditions. In 2007, ginseng was fetching $1,000 a pound on the international market, Ollis said.
American ginseng, which has long been threatened by over-harvesting and invasive plants such as honeysuckle, reaches a typical height of 8 to 15 inches. Ginseng prefers mature woodlands, frequently on slopes, where it favors rich soil and dense shade, according to the ODNR. Ginseng’s life expectancy is estimated to be 20 to 75 years.
Under Ohio Ginseng Law:
The harvest season for wild ginseng is Sept. 1 through Dec. 31. Green ginseng may be sold beginning Sept. 1. Dry ginseng may not be sold until after Sept. 15.
All harvest-ready plants must have at least three leaves (prongs).
All seeds are to be planted at the place where the plant was collected.
No license is required to dig wild ginseng on private land, but diggers are required to have written permission from the landowner in order to harvest.
Collection is prohibited on state-owned properties.
Diggers must keep accurate harvest records by county and collection date.
A ginseng dealer’s permit, from the ODNR Division of Wildlife, is required to buy ginseng for resale or export it from the state.
All ginseng must be certified by the Division of Wildlife before it is exported.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7407 or sbennish@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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