Agroforestry in Pennsylvania and Opportunities & Challenges from Native Medicinal Forest Plant Husbandry Eric Burkhart Mike Jacobson Penn State

Forest farming Agroforestry

High Grading Deer! Invasives

Context Shift from efficient production to sustainable production –Economic decline in rural communities –Soil erosion –Pollution –Water quality –Monocultures Top five in nation for land use change due to development

Interest in Agroforestry (PA) Mean (1-5) PASAWOATotalMaleFemale Windbreak** Alley Cropping* Silvopasture* Riparian Buffers* NTFP CTM* Patio Gardens** Response categories were from 1) Not Interested to 5) Very Interested *Significantly different between PASA and WOA at.05 level ** Significantly different between PASA,WOA, male and female at.05 level

Livestock- Related Practices Specialty Crop Production Non-Adopters Timber- Related Practices

Cluster 3: Progressive Land Manager Interest in Agroforestry NTFP, Patio Gardens CTM Windbreaks, Riparian Buffers Benefits Environmental Conservation Obstacles Access to Information Biophysical Compatibility

Cluster 4: Recreational Land Manager Interest in Agroforestry No Interest in Agroforestry Crop Tree Management NTFP / Patio Gardens Benefits Wildlife Habitat Economic Obstacles Feasibility Compatibility

Outreach *Significantly different at.05 level On-farm demos* Workshops Seminars Magazine articles Tours Newsletters Grower Groups Extension Agents* Univ. Specialists* Internet Neighbors Family members Radio Programs

Extension Three Scenarios for Adoption Potential –Timber-Related Practices –Livestock-Related Practices –Specialty Crop, Small-Scale Intensive Practices Each one reaches a different audience and requires different collaborators Demonstration sites

Non-timber Forest Products (NTFP) Also referred to as: –Nontraditional, secondary, minor, non-wood, specialty –USDA Forest service term = special forest products Can be classified into four major product categories: –Culinary –Wood-based –Floral and decorative –Medicinal and dietary supplements

Non-timber Forest Products (NTFP) One of the most basic and critical distinctions is whether harvesting is destructive or non-destructive –Destructive = roots, rhizomes, bark, wood –Non-destructive = berries, nuts, leaf material, fungal fruiting bodies

Value-added

Forest farming An alternative income opportunity Domestication/cultivation of forest botanicals Take pressure of ‘wild’ resources Keep land forested

Wild collection (w/ no seeding) Propagation (field, intensive) The husbandry continuum Wild collection (w/ seeding) Wild collection (w/ extra seeding) Propagation (forest, intensive) Propagation (forest, non- intensive)

Why botanicals? Health Are beautiful plants Concern over habitat loss Income? There are markets?

On-going forest botanical (NTFP) market study Production viability analysis is based upon a 5 year price average from wholesale buyers ( ) –Also looking at price/market trends over time (30+ years) Many production assumptions that are still being fine tuned –Assume same price for woods cult & wild sim (exception = ginseng). –Time to production (3 = woods cult, 5 = wild sim) –Seed and propagation material costs –Yield estimates (roots per pound, yield per area)

Species Black cohosh Bloodroot Goldenseal Mayapple Ginseng Burdock

American ginseng ( Panax quinquefolius )

 Uses: Ginseng ( Panax quinquefolius)  Marketable products:  root (6 + years);  seed  Season: fall  Price paid: $220-$1,500/kg (root)  Demand: very strong  Uses: tonic, stress, mental efficiency, physical performance, fatigue, anti- cancer

Goldenseal ( Hydrastis canadensis )

 Season: fall  Price paid: $35-120/kg (root); no data for leaf  Demand: steady and significant  Uses: tonic, mild laxative, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, bitter, uterine stimulant, stops internal bleeding, astringent  Marketable products:  root (3 yr. old)  leaf  despite its notoriety, little clinical research

Marketable products: –root (3+ yr. old) Season: fall Price paid: $6-20/kg (root); $ per plant as an ornamental Demand: significant Uses: medicinal (promotes menstrual flow & regularity, anti-rheumatic) and ornamental  RemiFemin (GlaxoSmithKline) Black cohosh (Actaea racemosa)

Bloodroot ( Sanguinaria canadensis )

 Marketable products: − root (4-7 yr. old)  Season: Fall  Average root weight: 95 plants/lb.  ( Price paid: $16-35/kg (root); $ per plant as an ornamental  Demand: steady  Uses: medicinal (cancer, topical, expectorant, antiseptic, antibacterial) and as an ornamental Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)

Mayapple ( Podophyllum peltatum )

Uses toxic anticancer properties laxative Warts Price – about $1/kg

Common Burdock Arctium lappa Uses: Skin conditions Laxative Food Price – about $3/kg

Prices 5 year average from various sources –American Botanicals –Strategic Sourcing, Inc. –Hawk Mountain Trading Co. –Ohio River and Fur, Inc. Same prices woods and wild grown, except ginseng. Costs – labor, seed costs, equipment

Woods- Cultivated yield on 0.04 ha (kg) Woods- Cultivated Avg. price/kg ($) Wild-simulated yield on 0.04 ha (kg) Wild- simulated Avg. price/kg ($) Black cohosh18585 Bloodroot Goldenseal Mayapple5 121 Burdock Ginseng

True price vs. market price That’s why there is little cultivation of these botanicals Wild-crafting has costs as well – finding the plants Costs How to overcome? –Pursue different markets (direct, value-added, nursery instead of medicinal) –Future and current certification (organic?) –Emphasize quality not quantity –Stay abreast of market trends Buyer’s needs - Insurance

Summary Ginseng stands alone Potential for other NTFPs Role for policy makers