Endangered species lists are compiled by the government. Seasons/Availability White sage flowers bloom from late summer into the fall. Thats a raise of concern. There were only two standing sage plants remaining. In the past few years, white sage has come under a dual attack. With the wellness world latching onto their energy-clearing benefits, these plants are becoming increasingly endangered and over-harvested. A majority of White Sage on the market is illegally harvested from public lands, and often from private lands by trespassers who do not have permission. BUT the main issue is that the sage is endangered. Our intent is to assure the increasing abundance of the medicinal plants which are currently in decline due ... Read moreSpecies At-Risk List ... White sage, also called bee sage and sacred sage, is an evergreen perennial shrub native to the American Southwest and northwestern Mexico and is of profound importance to local indigenous people. Preservation of Native Species, Habitats, and Ecosystem Processes; Protection and preservation of Cultural Resources; Monitoring Existing Habitats, Species, and Physical Conditions; Restoration of Disturbed On-Site Habitats; Develop and Maintain an Informational Database. The San Bernardino associated governments along with multiple state agencies, federal/USFWS, local universities, and non-profits manage the preserve, which was first established in 1998 and expanded with highway mitigation funds in 2009. White sage is abundant in its local habitat as a keystone species of its plant community, but that habitat is under threat due to development and it is fragile, apparent by the many endangered and threatened species that rely on its habitat. Unfortunately, because of oil and gas development, conversion of land for agricultural use, climate change and human development, sage-grouse only inhabit half their historic range. White Sage is protected by law on public lands (regulation 36 CFR 261), and there is no permit granting permission to harvest it on public lands. What is important to stress is that this underground sage mafia is not ethical or sustainable wildcrafting as it is portrayed in hipster IG accounts and stores! White ppl did that shit. It won’t stay that way though if harvesting practices don’t change. A majority of White Sage on the market is illegally harvested from public lands, and often from private lands by trespassers who do not have permission. I found the quote she shared from Barbara Drake that speaks to why they discourage selling of spiritual plants on a commercial scale because one does not know if the person who is collecting them is doing so in a good way, with a good heart as very profound. (740) 742-3455   office@UnitedPlantSavers.org, © 2020 United Plant Savers, Inc. All Rights Reserved. For white sage it really does work best to use a very sandy medium. It wasn’t officially legal for American Natives to practice their religion – which includes burning sage – until 1978. I quickly pulled out my phone to show him that it was against the law to do so, and that recent arrests had been made. Topics: It's cultural appropriation of a threatened plant. The real fucking issue is how commercialized this shit has gotten. White sage grows in sandy, well-draining soil in direct sun. This herb was used as a medicinal plant by Native Americans, but is also used for culinary purposes. To profit from the increased demand, people are trespassing, cutting plants from roadsides, and encroaching into tribal lands. While hiking along a local trail, it’s likely we’ve stopped and enjoyed the wonderful aroma of white sage that’s common on sunny hillsides and in chaparral from Santa Barbara to Baja. His story quickly changed, and he claimed he no longer wildharvested but had a farm where he is now growing sage for his company. Although it isn’t endangered, it is being over-harvested and this is a big problem. White sage is considered sacred and still used by indigenous peoples for medical and ceremonial purposes, but did you know it’s now becoming endangered? My journey to understand the complexity of white sage has been a learning journey to the many state and federal recognized tribes and the diverse projects and museums working hard to revive and celebrate cultural and ecological diversity that is more beautiful and powerful. The white sage is at the center of this conversation. (see article in this issue on Albania). Salvia apina This is a very aromatic sage with white, felt-like foliage. Explore Forest Farming: Supporting Plants & People with Sustainable Agroforestry, Flavor and Family Near the Seaside of Sicily, A Forest Grown Future for Pennsylvania's Precious Ginseng, Exploring the Resilient Roots of Albanian Agriculture. Growing White Sage From Seed. A wonderful moment before sunrise, a Greater Sage Grouse on its lek (dancing ground) near Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan, Canada. ©J.S. This plant is sacred to them. Current Facts White sage is categorized as a perennial evergreen shrub that is a member of the Sunflower family. White sage leaves present a strong as well as bright herbal fragrance that offers a slight peppery and savory flavor. This policy shift is in direct response to the increasing impact of overharvesting on wild stands of some of the most beloved herbs and spices around the world. “We do not sell white sage. In 2011, Robert took a distillation class from “The Guerilla Distiller,” Robert Seidel, of The Essential Oil Company in Portland, Oregon, where he learned the process of steam distillation. When you go to buy your white sage, you'll likely have the option to purchase either a bundle of white sage, sometimes called a wand or stick, or a bag of loose leaf sage. Or, you could just use regular sage and not appropriate North American Indigenous practices. According to the USDA, white sage is not endangered, threatened, or even at risk at this time( 2). There are two subspecies of the White Rhino — the northern white rhino and the southern white … White Sage is endangered, people are going and picking wild white sage to sell and leading the plant to becoming endangered from overcollection. This herb was used as a medicinal plant by Native Americans, but is also used for culinary purposes. Sage’s active growing season is May-September. White sage can be propagated in two ways: from seed, or by cuttings. At this time white sage can be purchased on Amazon and Walmart websites and on the shelves of stores such as Urban Outfitters in pre-packaged new aged kits. Elizabeth Moore. I would encourage those who are drawn to white sage to spend time researching the cultures that have tended its habitat and choose a smudge that you build a personal relationship with and question the idea of ethical wild crafting, considering the habitat, the harvester, the laws, the cultures, and the medicinal teachings. Current Facts White sage is categorized as a perennial evergreen shrub that is a member of the Sunflower family. Honestly, either option is fine. At this point Im either going to grow my own somehow or switch to a sage that natively grows in Africa. Fall 2021: Sept. 6 - Oct. 15, UNITED PLANT SAVERS They also have a threatened and a rare list that addresses species that have depleted in certain areas, or is a vital food source or habitat for some protected or endangered animal. Palo Santo is also endangered, if you want to use white sage buy the seeds and grow it yourself so you are not adding to the stress the wild strains are facing currently. White sage can be propagated in two ways: from seed, or by cuttings. It further states in the management plan their priority actions of conducting historical research, coordinating with tribes to facilitate access for ceremonies, and collection of white sage. Hardy in zones 8 through 11, white sage (Savia apiana), is a small evergreen shrub that's native to California. At the same time, there has been a meteoric rise in the commercialization of smudging, which has created a lucrative market for illegally harvested white sage, much of it taken from public lands. Shortly thereafter, Samantha and Robert purchased their first copper stills and have spent the ensuing years mastering the art of distilling white sage essential oil and hydrosol, which has become part of their year-round business. Bad news, spirituality Twitter—those crystals you bought online to pump positive ions into the air in your apartment may be contributing to unethical mining practices and poverty-level wages in third world countries. According to the USDA, white sage is not endangered, threatened, or even at risk at this time( 2). But, Black people were ENSLAVED by American Indians. The residents living near the preserve, working with law enforcement to help coordinate efforts to address the issue were responsible for the recent arrest in June of 2018. There are many ways you can support Native cultures, for more information please see this article by The Guardian entitled: “Nine ways to support the rights of indigenous people.” The most endangered species in the world. It’s not uncommon to have a germination rate of 20-30%. It's cultural appropriation of a threatened plant. From what I've read online, the majority of arguments say white sage is endangered … Our Farms, Endangered White Sage: Procuring Organic Cultivated Salvia Apiana. White sage can be identified by its large, white to silver-grey leaf clusters that exude a distinct and lovely aroma. The Management Plan for the preserve acknowledges that the area is considered to be a sacred site by the Gabrielino-Shoshoni Nation and Serrano people and is currently being used for cultural purposes. But it took a disaster to launch Samantha and Robert into the business of cultivating organic white sage. White sage has also been harvested unethically and, as a result, has become endangered. It smells good, Instagrammers love it and there’s some purported health benefits. At the same time, interest in herbalism has grown exponentially, sparking increased demand for herbs like Salvia apiana. Although not listed as an endangered species, it’s considered to be a plant of special concern by conservationists and illegal to harvest from public lands. They sale sage and palo santo (another endangered plant/tree) in walmart now. Although this white sage cultivation project has been organic since its inception, it became certified organic in 2018, which opened the door for Mountain Rose Herbs to approach them about procuring organic, cultivated white sage for the first time. White sage is a sensitive plant. Alternately, you may wish to simply use another cleansing herb like Black sage, Garden sage, Holy Basil, Mint, Rosemary, Cedar, Juniper, Pine or Wormwood. The photograph by Rose Ramirez caught my attention and through a Google search I was able to locate her and ask permission to use the image for the cover of this year’s journal. The leaves are available year-round. The sage in the preserve is protected by the California Endangered Species Act, deputies said in a statement. Most important to note is that it can be grown, and if it is to be in any form of commercial trade and certainly on the scale it is now, the only sustainability claims should be that it is coming from a cultivated source, and a buyer should always visit the farm to verify the claim. If the Sage is an endangered species STOP burning it and leave it for the Indians. White sage is becoming increasingly endangered in the wild because so many people are interested in using the leaves in smudging, so not only will you improve your garden by growing white sage, but you’re helping the environment. Illegal harvesting occurs on both public and private property. The only way this would be legal is if harvesting took place on private land with permission. This statement also tends to inspire objections, since white sage isn't technically endangered, according to both United Plant Savers and the San Diego Botanic Garden — … Originally, native populations used White Sage and Palo Santo in sacred rituals to perform in a deeply respectful, meditative state. Though white sage isn’t endangered (yet) it is being overharvested and due to a variety of reasons space for it to grow is being limited. The first piece of false information swirling around out there is that white sage is endangered, this is actually not true. Farmers Samantha and Robert have been cultivating. PO Box 147, Rutland, OH 45775 Seasons/Availability White sage flowers bloom from late summer into the fall. Spring 2021: April 12 - May 21 We discourage selling medicine plants, spiritual plants, because we don’t know if the person collected them in a good way, with a good heart. However, in 2018, Sue Leopard reported via the United Plant Savers that four people were arrested for the illegal harvest of 400 pounds of white sage. October 26, 2019. Wild white sage sources are being depleted and endangered. The arid regions that are home to wild stands of Salvia apiana have been badly impacted by climate change, which has caused wildfires and other devastation. Want to learn more about how we support sustainable farming? A tea using the crushed seeds and leaves is massaged into the scalp to treat dandruff, hair loss, dryness, and itchiness, while restoring the health of hair. Working together the management plan establishes its principle goals. When she isn’t working in the garden, cleaning the henhouse, preserving food for winter, pruning the fruit trees, or writing and editing content for really fantastic small businesses, you’ll find her in her quilting room, or somewhere with her nose in a book, or up in the mountains alongside her husband and her terrier pup, Gracie Cakes. And that sage you burned to get rid of bad energy left over from the last tenant was likely harvested illegally. If you are lucky enough to live in southern California, most nurseries have a native plant section with a great variety of different sage plants. It’s not uncommon to have a germination rate of 20-30%. For the benefit of the plant communities, wild animals, harvesters, farmers, consumers, manufacturers, retailers and practitioners, we offer this list of wild medicinal plants which we feel are currently most sensitive to the impact of human activities. Here is the quote she provided me. Listed endangered species that may occur on the Preserve include the least Bell’s vireo, California gnatcatcher, the southwestern willow flycatcher, and San Bernardino Merriam’s kangaroo rat. Endangerment. In June of 2018, for example, several people were apprehended while packing out 400 pounds of white sage that they had stolen from the North Etiwanda Preserve in Rancho Cucamonga, California. United Plant Savers Medicinal Plant Conservation Certificate Program, Fall 2020: August 31 - Oct. 9 It smells good, Instagrammers love it and there’s some purported health benefits. Or, you could just use regular sage and not appropriate North American Indigenous practices. The popularity of white sage, tied into tight bundles called smudge sticks, is not as simple as a nice smell. Meztli Projects brilliantly updated the Wikipedia page on white sage to provide information on the recent controversy, citing the illegal harvest arrests and current press on this issue over the last two years. BLACK PEOPLE HAD NO POWER OVER INDIANS. Go out of your way to learn about the history and culture. Wildharvesting can be detrimental to the plant and/or the species that relies on the plant, but often it is most harmful to those who are harvesting, when they are forced into doing so for very little because they are in a desperate situation. What I learned when I was in California and visited the Etiwanda Preserve was that it is the epicenter of the current commercial harvest. [5] The over harvest of the species is commonly attributed to the increased popularity of new age spiritual practices that borrow the use of white sage from Native American cultures. White sage is notoriously difficult to start from seed or propagate from cuttings but is worth the effort. White sage (Salvia Apiana) is not an endangered species. White sage grows as a perennial in those zones, but can also be grown as an annual in other zones. The leaves are available year-round. In October of 2018, “Cleaning Space Kits” including white sage bundles appeared on the shelves of Anthropologie, and with the collective social media outcry they were removed from the stores almost immediately—thank you, Anthropologie. Here are some links you can visit on cultural appropriation in contemporary Neo-paganism and witchcraft and an article on land and identity in the US pagan and Native American communities. This plant is sacred to them. We couldn’t agree more. Use alternatives to the sacred, and now endangered, varieties of White Sage and Palo Santo. White sage leaves were also used by the Diegueño as a shampoo to clean their hair and to keep it from turning gray. Though palo santo isn’t endangered, its habitat, tropical dry forest is threatened. White Lies, White Sage: The Truth Behind Endangered Plants & Their Sacred Rituals. Consumers and retailers need to understand laws in regards to wild plants because even if one’s techniques are sustainable, if it is not permitted, then it is illegal. From what I’ve read online, the majority of arguments say white sage is endangered and it is culturally inappropriate to... Read more » Smudging is an ancient practice of using smoke from a purifying herb to drive away negative forces and spirits. The rumblings on social media in regards to those who claimed to wildcraft white sage, along with selling the wildcrafted material that was being gathered from public lands, were clues that the balance between respectful wildcrafting and the use of terms like “ethical wildcrafting and sustainable wildcrafting” for personal use versus commercial gain was being pushed to its limit. White Sage Bundle or Loose Leaf? White sage has become so gentrified and has lost it's true meaning unless it's blessed & used in a traditional way which I'm 100% sure most non … Wild white sage sources are being depleted and endangered. There is a lot of correct and incorrect information out there right now about white sage, so let’s try to unpack it all. I tried to convey why the preserve did not allow commercial harvest permits and the level of community engagement that goes into ensuring safe haven for threatened and endangered species. Peterson. Toss cuttings on the grill to flavor whatever you are cooking or use large stems to add an interesting flavor to shish-kabobs. Crushed leaves were rubbed on the body to eliminate body odor; this was often done by Cahuilla men before they went hunting. From this upbringing, she developed a lifelong passion for this special, sacred, at-risk desert plant. It is for this reason that Mountain Rose Herbs made the decision in 2019 to procure 100% of our loose-leaf white sage from a special cultivation project in the rocky hills of San Diego County’s North County region. Read on to find out how to do these two forms of propagation! Their 22-acre high desert ranch, located just 40 miles north of the Mexican border and less than 20 miles from the Pacific Ocean, has been in their family for over half a century. “We started with just a few hundred plants,” they told us, “but it has grown to a much larger scale with approximately 20,000 plants now.”. Salvia apiana is a highly aromatic herb with an aroma that is both earthy and soothing. Most herb sticks that you buy at the store are made using white sage. Unfortunately, because of oil and gas development, conversion of land for agricultural use, climate change and human development, sage-grouse only inhabit half their historic range. Seed is the most common way to grow new plants. A white sage plant typically grows no more than five feet tall and four feet wide. If you need it as a medicine and we have it, we’re going to give it to you. However, white sage seeds are notoriously bad at germinating. The primary goal is to create a resource for Native people in this region to share and learn traditional knowledge about native plant uses and gathering practices. It can easily fail if even one of the 3 or 4 critical aspects of environment is off kilter. Notes on American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.)…As long as the minimum requirements of appropriate temperature, soil and shade are met, some success in cultivating ginseng outside … White sage is becoming increasingly endangered in the wild because so many people are interested in using the leaves in smudging, so not only will you improve your garden by growing white sage, but you’re helping the environment. Sage Smudge Kit - White Sage Smudge Sticks - 4in ~ Abalone Shell 5-6in ~ 2in Tripod Stand ~ 9-12in Feather and White Sand 4.7 out of 5 stars 6,634 $20.99 $ 20 . Hardy in zones 8 through 11, white sage (Savia apiana), is a small evergreen shrub that's native to California. You can also buy small sage plants at your local nurseries or from online catalogs. This year it was evident due to the social media reaction that people were expressing anger and concern over the increase in commercialization of white sage (Salvia apiana) and the cultural appropriation and offensive marketing that overlooks ethics and ecological, cultural awareness of a deeply sacred and spiritual plant. Sustainability. Throughout the health, wellness, and spiritual community there has been a new topic of concern: ethics. Meztli Projects is an Indigenous based arts and culture collaborative, based in Los Angeles. Read on to find out how to do these two forms of propagation! Check your source and choose a sustainably harvested option. It seemed serendipitous that my year would be filled with two impactful sage encounters, when I learned about the wild sage native to Albania facing overharvesting in the wild due to unregulated trade and the herbal companies working towards a solution by transitioning to cultivated sage and support to small scale farmers. Although white sage is not listed on the Endangered Species List, conservationists are still concerned about the future survival and distribution of the species. Being able to partner with Samantha and Robert, to embrace the practices and beauty of what they do, gives us the unprecedented ability to support sustainable cultivation of white sage, and to make the move away from wild options for procuring this precious botanical. WHITE SAGE Salvia apiana Jepson Plant Symbol = SAAP2 Contributed by: USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center & Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden Uses Ethnobotanic: White sage seeds were one component in pinole, which was a staple food of the Indians of the Pacific coast (Barrows 1977). Sage Smudge Kit - White Sage Smudge Sticks - 4in ~ Abalone Shell 5-6in ~ 2in Tripod Stand ~ 9-12in Feather and White Sand 4.7 out of 5 stars 6,256 $20.99 $ 20 . 1. “Unfortunately,” said Samantha, “we have experienced two major fires: the 2003 Cedar Fire and the 2007 Witch Creek Fire. White sage leaves present a strong as well as bright herbal fragrance that offers a slight peppery and savory flavor. The fact that California white sage is not listed as endangered gives people the sense that it’s OK to harvest it lavishly and sell it for a profit. “It has been an absolute blessing and life changing journey to be working with Mountain Rose Herbs,” said Samantha. White Sage has also been traditionally used as a shampoo. Certainly he was proud to show off his harvesting technique and make claims to be a former student of Michael Moore, but he lacked ecological knowledge of the diversity of species in the habitat he claimed to sustainably harvest, not to mention basic laws surrounding wild harvest of plants on state and federal lands. This came about when four undocumented individuals were arrested with over 400 pounds of white sage harvested from the preserve. If we the consumers want to be healed by the plants, then should we not want those who are harvesting to be treated fairly? White sage grows as a perennial in those zones, but can also be grown as an annual in other zones. The North Etiwanda Preserve is a unique Riversidean Alluvial Fan Sage Scrub plant community that provides protection for a number of sensitive plant and wildlife species, several of which are Federal or State listed threatened or endangered. Native Americans burned the plant in ceremonies and made a tea from the leaves. 3 Comments on From Appropriation to Extinction: White Sage is Becoming Endangered to Indigenous Communities ZENAPHOTO VIA GETTY IMAGES Associated with purity, the popular medicinal herb— salvia apiana or white sage—is held sacred in many Indigenous communities for its traditional use in smudging rituals and metaphysical purposes. Growing White Sage From Seed. If you want to use White Sage you have 3 options: Grow it yourself, buy from a trusted supplier (research how and where they get it from) or use some alternatives. White sage (Salvia apiana) is one example. Although white sage is not listed on the Endangered Species List, conservationists are still concerned about the future survival and distribution of the species. Although it is a common plant, its native region is relatively small and has become increasingly populated and developed, which has served to diminish its numbers and distribution. The Witch Creek Fire burned 75% of our ranch, sparing the buildings, but burning all the native vegetation around our home and barns. It is very difficult when companies make claims of sustainable harvest when we have no accountability within a very secretive trade. United States, CA, San Francisco, Golden Gate Park, Strybing Arboretum. The only evidence of it even being under observation is in the United Plant Savers website, where white sage is listed under “to watch”. Conversely harvesting wild plants when regulated and when harvesters are treated fairly can result in beneficial relationships, for both consumer and harvester, and the harvester and the plants, as well as for the plants and their habitat.