An Introduction to Wildcrafting
(originally published in Spring 2007 by WynterGreene)

Wildcrafting is the practice of harvesting plants directly from nature to use in herbal applications. These applications can include therapeutic preparations or use in ritual. The term "wildcrafting" suggests harvesting from the wild, but in reality it indicates gathering from any natural source. In an urban environment, this often includes parks and public areas.

Wildcrafting offers benefits beyond the purpose for which the plants are harvested, however. First and foremost, engaging in wildcrafting gets you outdoors. This may seem like stating the obvious in an article directed at those on nature-based spiritual paths, but our society mainly lives and works indoors. Being outdoors allows us the opportunity to reaffirm our physical, emotional and spiritual connections to the natural world. You can also harvest precisely as much as you need, therefore nothing goes bad or to waste.

Wildcrafting requires that you travel to where the plant is, and generally you must first scout around for it. This means that you have to take time to walk through an environment and look around to identify what kind of plants grow there. This provides you with an opportunity to physically place yourself in the plant's environment, and interact with the energy associated with it. Whether on an open-ended wildcrafting hike to familiarize yourself with the flora of a chosen area or on a specific trip to harvest a plant you know is there, keep your eyes and your awareness open, and allow the things you observe to absorb into your consciousness. Be alert, but stay relaxed: wildcrafting isn't a goal-oriented activity like grocery shopping. It's about the journey, not the destination.

Wildcrafting requires awareness and sensitivity. Here is a short list of guidelines:

1. Harvest only a small to moderate percentage of one kind of plant in the area.

The golden rule of wildcrafting is to never strip an area of what you are harvesting. Doing so can upset the ecological balance of the immediate environment. Leave a major portion of the bush or stand in place so that it may continue to grow and provide you and others with its produce. Taking an entire stand renders future harvesting from that source impossible. Additionally, make sure to not harvest all of the seed portions of the plant, so that it can propagate.

2. Take only what you require.

This rider to the golden rule helps remind you to leave enough for other harvesters and the wildlife who depend on it. There is no point to harvesting more than you need, only to let the excess go bad.

3. Ask first, and give thanks.

Respect the energy of the plant by asking permission of it before you harvest it. A simple way of doing this is to reach out with your own energy to touch that of the plant, and open yourself to receiving a reply of some kind. If the plant acquiesces, harvest with respect and honor the plant by thanking it with an offering of water or whatever you sense that it would like. A simple bow and spoken thanks may be enough.

4. Ask permission of the landowner, or look into city rules.

Before you wildcraft, find out who owns the location. If it is privately owned ask permission of the landowner to walk there as well as to harvest what you need. If it is city land, look up the rules and regulations covering harvesting plants growing there.

5. Be careful while you're out, and don't harm anything.

Do your best to not crush, break, or otherwise damage the plants around you while you wildcraft. As a rule of thumb, leave a place in better shape than you found it: pick up any litter that you find, and if you discover something that requires more attention than you can offer, or if you aren't sure what to do about it, bring it to the attention of the owner of the land or the city. Also, respect your own limits and don't push yourself or do anything dangerous.

Wildcrafting offers the opportunity to engage spiritually with harvesting. Beyond the spiritual benefits of placing yourself in a natural environment, the physical requirements of wildcrafting such as walking and observing can serve as a meditation of sorts. Interacting with the energy of the plant while it is still alive can teach you something different about the energy of the material you intend to use. Additionally, using local plants means that you are using something sourced from local energies, thereby forming a stronger relationship with the energy of the geographical location that influences you on a daily basis.

Wildcrafting isn't something to be done on a whim. If mishandled, it can be dangerous. Make sure that you carry a good illustrated guide to the plants you intend to harvest, in order to correctly identify them. Familiarise yourself with the toxic plants of your region to better avoid them. Educate yourself regarding what plants are best used for your purposes. If you cannot positively identify a plant, do not use it. Finally, tell someone where you are going so that if something happens and you do not return by a specified time, they will know to look for you.

As the seasons turn, visiting the same site can allow you a glimpse of how the energies there shift and flow, providing you with the chance to experience the wheel of the year as framed by a select location. Wildcrafting is a rewarding method of celebrating the spirituality of your local natural environment as well as participating within it. It also celebrates your own life, and confirms your place within that environment and its energy.

Further Reading On-Line:

General wildcrafting issues: http://home.teleport.com/~howieb/treats/wildcrft.html

Ethical Wildcrafting, by Jim Flocchini: http://altnature.com/library/wildcraft.htm

---

Originally published in WynterGreene, Spring 2007 issue

(c) A. Murphy-Hiscock, 2007

This article may not be reprinted or quoted without first obtaining permission from the author.