Permits to harvest ginseng in Cherokee National Forest paused for 2021

Officials with the US Forest Service have announced a pause in ginseng permits for 2021 due to the state of the herb growing in the Cherokee National Forest.

Forest Supervisor JaSal Morris says major declines present a need to let the plants replenish themselves for the long term. Biologists say the harvesting of the plant has caused the population to dwindle for the last ten years.

Hunters comb mountainsides to find ginseng that is used for medicinal purposes that can bring anywhere from $300 to $600 per pound.

(IMAGE: G. Kauffman / US Forest Service)