Ethics

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This article is intended to provide a brief overview on the ethics of plant collection and provide information on the relevant laws and customs in Alabama. Wild Ones members must embody the highest ethical standards pertaining to plant collection, and this article is intended to ensure all members are informed of those standards of conduct.

Collection Guidelines:

  • There are specific laws pertaining to plant collection and propagation for profit, collection of federally protected plant species, and the import/export of plant species between states and countries. A partial listing of those laws is included below.
  • Permits are generally required to collect plants, and specific permits must be acquired from federal, state, county or city agencies when collecting from public property (including highways). Individuals should always carry a physical copy of the permit when collecting. 
  • When collecting from private property, the land owner must always be contacted to secure written permission prior to entry. Private property is generally indicated (in Alabama, Tennessee, and many other states) by purple paint on trees, fences or other objects. Tax records and apps such as Regrid can be used to identify property owners.
  • The 1-in-20 rule: when collecting plants or parts of plants (eg whole plants, fruits, seeds, cuttings, fronds, etc), never take more than 1 plant in 20 or 5% of reproductive or vegetative material. In general, Wild Ones members should only collect entire plants from their own private properties or during sanctioned plant rescues (where all permits and permissions are in place and where the destruction of the population is imminent). Plant collections for herbaria should be left to trained botanists.

The most important priorities for the ethical plant collector are:

  1. To protect special concern, rare, threatened and endangered species from poaching and to report such activity when observed
  2. To prevent the establishment or spread of non-native, invasive plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, and viruses
  3. To know and ensure the specific growing conditions (soil, hydrology, pH, light, symbionts, etc) of a plant species acquired via collection.

One of the advantages of Wild Ones is that it brings together a network of like-minded native plant enthusiasts growing thousands of species on private property. While it is (currently) not easy to acquire straight species and local ecotype plants from the nursery trade, one or more local Wild Ones members is likely to have the plants you need. There is no need to poach from the wild – all you need to do is ask a member.

Further information about the legal statutes, customs, and permit application process can be found in the following links: