Ginseng poaching on the rise in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Ginseng, the popular health supplement, grows naturally in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. There’s only one problem- poachers. Poaching has become a major problem for the park. Savvy thieves are uprooting the valuable plant and selling the ginseng roots for a profit.

“They know what they’re looking for. They’re experienced in this type of thing,” said Brent Everitt, the Great Smoky Mountains Public Affairs Officer. “They go look for these plants, they dig it up, then they will hike out with sometimes a thousand roots.”

Wild ginseng is found in damp soil, which makes the Smoky Mountains a perfect spot. It is popular because it is sold in health stores across the country and has been said to have major health benefits. “They’ll grind it up and put it in different mixes, powders and pills, and trying to create remedies,” said Everitt.

Ginseng could become extinct from the park. They not only take the root, but the entire plant. Wild ginseng could cost as much as nine hundred dollars a pound, but it could cost the park even more. The loss of this plant could cause the wildlife and the habitat to suffer.

“The big thing about the Smokies, the reason people come here is because of the incredible biodiversity and when you take a piece of that biodiversity, it hurts the entire ecosystem,” said Everitt.

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