Professor receives pilot funding to conduct study to increase forest farming in Appalachia

(Press-News.org) Appalachia is globally recognized as a key supplier of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) with growing demand for its resources. Nearly half of the woodland medicinal species in the global nutraceutical market come from the region, contributing to a multibillion-dollar industry.

Species such as ginseng, slippery elm, and black cohosh are prominent understory sources of medicinal material. Appalachian edible products are also gaining popularity beyond the region. Ramps, a wild Appalachian plant, can sell for more than $20 per pound in places such as New York City.

Spanning 205,000 square miles, Appalachia is home to over 100 marketable species, including botanicals such as ginseng and black cohosh as well as mushrooms and valuable understory tree and shrub species used in crafts and landscaping. These species traditionally are wild harvested, but interest in cultivating them using an agroforestry practice known as forest farming is on the rise.

As demand for Appalachian NTFPs grows, forest farmed material is becoming increasingly sought after by both domestic and international consumers. John Munsell, professor in the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation in the College of Natural Resources and Environment and a Virginia Cooperative Extension specialist, received a $500,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to conduct a preliminary study on a natural economic solution for the region.

“To scale a cultivation economy, it's essential that people have access to affordable resources, and that the supply chain — from planting to processing and distribution — is well established,” Munsell said. “Formalizing forest farming businesses and developing the workforce are key to ensuring that the entire system runs efficiently. Additionally, cultural aspects like tourism and traditional knowledge should be integrated into the business planning process to create a more sustainable and comprehensive economy.”

To better understand the culture around these NTFPs, Munsell is collaborating with Shannon Bell, professor of environmental sociology in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. Bell conducted research with Appalachian wild harvesters and local buyers of medicinal roots and herbs to study the stark inequities in the woodland herbal supply chain and to develop strategies for addressing these challenges. The work’s aim is to help Central Appalachian communities retain more of the profits from the herbal industry by using forest farming techniques to help populations of native at-risk forest botanicals survive and thrive in the wild.

“Our mission is to harness the region's sustainable ‘green wealth’ – a true, culturally resonant resource — through stewardship, moving it into a competitive market without the exploitative practices often seen in extractive industries,” Munsell said. “We've spent years engaging and training woodland owners and wild-harvesting communities, helping them transition to traceable, sustainable forest farming practices. But to truly scale, we now need to invest in processing facilities, attract companies to the region, and formalize businesses that can fully utilize cultivated raw materials, from medicinal plants like ginseng and black cohosh to culinary and decorative products.”

The effort is complex and Munsell assembled a broad partnership of 11 Appalachian universities and nonprofit organizations to address specific facets of the value chain. For example, workforce development is essential, as skilled labor is needed for processing, chemical testing, and maintaining high-quality standards, while tourism can offer an experiential way to highlight these efforts and the Appalachian region's cultural heritage. Munsell and Katie Trozzo, program associate in the Department of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, are working together to develop and guide complementary initiatives among project partners.

This collaborative work identifies tangible and actionable opportunities for scaling forest-farmed materials in the global NTFP market. There’s a focus on quality over quantity, with companies willing to pay higher prices for superior, sustainably sourced raw and value-added material. The work is part of a broader economic development strategy emphasizing local Appalachian stewardship and control over natural resources management and production.

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