To Harvest or Not to Harvest: How Does Harvesting Impact Wild Plant Sustainability?
Black cohosh is a forest plant that is harvested for its medicinal use. Black cohosh is native to eastern deciduous forests and can be found as far south as Georgia, north to southern Ontario, and west to Missouri. Not much is known about how harvesting affects black cohosh populations. Some scientists, however, have observed a decline in black cohosh populations that may be a result of harvesting these plants. The scientists in the study wanted to examine the impacts of harvesting on black cohosh. In particular, the scientists wanted to determine what amount of harvesting would be sustainable.
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In this FACTivity, you will learn what happens when something is overharvested and why sustainable harvesting is important. Materials: Harvest Recording Activity Sheet (included) Writing utensil Large quantity of an...FACTivity – To Harvest or Not to Harvest
In this FACTivity, you will learn what happens when something is overharvested and why sustainable harvesting is important. Materials: Harvest Recording Activity Sheet (included) Writing utensil Large quantity of an... -
Unscramble the words to create a sentence from “To Harvest or Not to Harvest!”Word Scramble – To Harvest or Not To Harvest
Unscramble the words to create a sentence from “To Harvest or Not to Harvest!” -
After reading “To Harvest or Not to Harvest,” see how much you learned with this eyeChallenge. Each of the following images represents something from the article. Explain what each of...eyeChallenge – To Harvest or Not to Harvest
After reading “To Harvest or Not to Harvest,” see how much you learned with this eyeChallenge. Each of the following images represents something from the article. Explain what each of...
Glossary
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Christine Small
I am very lucky to be able to spend much of my working time outdoors, exploring nature, and sharing my excitement with others. My favorite science experiences have involved hiking,...View Profile -
James Chamberlain
A major part of this research was to provide field experience to young people to encourage them to pursue careers in science. On one field trip, we had students from...View Profile
Standards addressed in this Article:
Next Generation Science Standards
- ESS3.A-M1Humans depend on Earth’s land, ocean, atmosphere, and biosphere for many different resources. Minerals, fresh water, and biosphere resources are limited, and many are not renewable or replaceable over human lifetimes. These resources are distributed unevenly around the planet as a result of past geologic processes.
- ESS3.C-M1Human activities have significantly altered the biosphere, sometimes damaging or destroying natural habitats and causing the extinction of other species. But changes to Earth’s environments can have different impacts (negative and positive) for different living things.
- ESS3.C-M2Typically as human populations and per capita consumption of natural resources increase, so do the negative impacts on Earth unless the activities and technologies involved are engineered otherwise.
- ETS1.B-M2There are systematic processes for evaluating solutions with respect to how well they meet criteria and constraints of a problem.
- ETS1.C-M2The iterative process of testing the most promising solutions and modifying what is proposed on the basis of the test results leads to greater refinement and ultimately to an optimal solution.
- LS1.B-M3Plants reproduce in a variety of ways, sometimes depending on animal behavior and specialized features for reproduction.
- LS1.B-M4Genetic factors as well as local conditions affect the growth of the adult plant.
- LS2.C-M1Ecosystems are dynamic in nature; their characteristics can vary over time. Disruptions to any physical or biological component of an ecosystem can lead to shifts in all its populations.
- LS2.C-M2Biodiversity describes the variety of species found in Earth’s terrestrial and oceanic ecosystems. The completeness or integrity of an ecosystem’s biodiversity is often used as a measure of its health.
- LS4.D-M1Changes in biodiversity can influence humans’ resources, such as food, energy, and medicines, as well as ecosystem services that humans rely on—for example, water purification and recycling.
Social Studies Standards
- Global Connections
- Individual Development and Identity
- People, Places, and Environments
- Production, Distribution, and Consumption
- Science, Technology, and Society
Note To Educators
The Forest Service's Mission
The Forest Service’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. For more than 100 years, our motto has been “caring for the land and serving people.” The Forest Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), recognizes its responsibility to be engaged in efforts to connect youth to nature and to promote the development of science-based conservation education programs and materials nationwide.
What Is the Natural Inquirer?
Natural Inquirer is a science education resource journal to be used by students in grade 6 and up. Natural Inquirer contains articles describing environmental and natural resource research conducted by Forest Service scientists and their cooperators. These scientific journal articles have been reformatted to meet the needs of middle school students. The articles are easy to understand, are aesthetically pleasing to the eye, contain glossaries, and include hands-on activities. The goal of Natural Inquirer is to stimulate critical reading and thinking about scientific inquiry and investigation while teaching about ecology, the natural environment, and natural resources.
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Meet the Scientists
Introduces students to the scientists who did the research. This section may be used in a discussion about careers in science.
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What Kinds of Scientist Did This Research?
Introduces students to the scientific disciplines of the scientists who conducted the research.
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Thinking About Science
Introduces something new about the scientific process, such as a scientific habit of mind or procedures used in scientific studies.
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Thinking About the Environment
Introduces the environmental topic being addressed in the research.
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Introduction
Introduces the problem or question that the research addresses.
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Method
Describes the method the scientists used to collect and analyze their data.
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Findings & Discussion
Describes the results of the analysis. Addresses the findings and places them into the context of the original problem or question.
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Reflection Section
Presents questions aimed at stimulating critical thinking about what has been read or predicting what might be presented in the next section. These questions are placed at the end of each of the main article sections.
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Number Crunches
Presents an easy math problem related to the research.
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Glossary
Defines potentially new scientific or other terms to students. The first occurrence of a glossary word is bold in the text.
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Citation
Gives the original article citation with an internet link to the original article.
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FACTivity
Presents a hands-on activity that emphasizes something presented in the article.
Science Education Standards
You will find a listing of education standards which are addressed by each article at the back of each publication and on our website.
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Contact
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Email
Education Files
Project Learning Tree
If you are a trained Project Learning Tree educator, you may use “We All Need Trees,” “Pass the Plants, Please,” and “A Forest of Many Uses” as additional resources.
Related Resources from the Natural Inquirer
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Ecosystem services are the benefits that nature provides through natural processes. For example, plants provide clean air, natural fire helps cycle nutrients, and bats act as insect control. Ecosystem services...Ecosystem Services – Vol. 12 No. 1
Ecosystem services are the benefits that nature provides through natural processes. For example, plants provide clean air, natural fire helps cycle nutrients, and bats act as insect control. Ecosystem services... -
Scientists can learn a lot from local people who interact with the environment on a daily basis. This monograph compares scientific research with local mushroom hunters’ knowledge of morel mushrooms.The Morel of the Story – Vol. 1 No. 8
Scientists can learn a lot from local people who interact with the environment on a daily basis. This monograph compares scientific research with local mushroom hunters’ knowledge of morel mushrooms.
Additional Resources
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George Washington and Jefferson National Forests
Visit WebsiteLearn more about the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests.
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USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service: Actaea racemosa L. var. Racemosa
Visit WebsiteLearn more about black cohosh from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station: Black Cohosh – An Annotated Bibliography
View ResourceLearn more about the conservation efforts for black cohosh.