Wild-Simulated Medicinal Plant Cultivation with Community Engagement

Commodities

• Additional Plants: ginseng, herbs, native plants

Practices

• Crop Production: agroforestry, forest farming
• Education and Training: on-farm/ranch research
• Natural Resources/Environment: habitat enhancement

Sage Mountain Botanical Sanctuary will address critical gaps in Vermont forest farming by conducting systematic cultivation trials of four at-risk native medicinal species - ginseng, goldenseal, black cohosh, and ramps - while pioneering an innovative model integrating forest farming into accessible community education.

Our objectives are to: (1) compare cultivation success across wild-simulated and minimally-amended forest farming methods in diverse microhabitats; (2) develop seed based propagation protocols reducing reliance on wild-collected rootstock; and (3) disseminate findings to 75+ herbalists, forest landowners, and educators.

We will establish 12 permanent monitoring plots across our 600-acre property, documenting germination rates, establishment success, and three-year growth patterns relative to canopy cover, soil conditions, and microclimate. Staff, volunteers and community members will conduct citizen science monitoring, gaining ecological literacy and agricultural skills while supporting rigorous data collection, addressing Vermont's challenge of unsustainable wild-harvesting pressure on native medicinals.

Outreach includes three field days reaching regional stakeholders, publication of comprehensive cultivation guides, conference presentations, and digital resources. Deliverables provide Vermont's 80,000+ private forest landowners with science-based protocols for sustainable medicinal production while demonstrating replicable models for community-engaged forest farming across the Northeast.

OBJECTIVE 1: Compare cultivation success of four at-risk native medicinal species across forest farming methods and microhabitat conditions in Vermont's northern hardwood forests.

We will establish 12 permanent monitoring plots comparing wild-simulated cultivation (direct seeding, zero amendments) against minimally-amended forest farming (light soil preparation, mycorrhizal inoculation).

Measurable outcomes:

• Germination rates (percentage and timing) for goldenseal, bloodroot, black cohosh, and ramps under each method
• First-year establishment success (percentage surviving) by species, method, and microhabitat
• Annual growth metrics (leaf count, height, vigor) for years 1-3
• Three-year survival rates by species and method
• Correlations between success and site variables: canopy cover (40-80%), slope aspect, soil moisture, pH, and organic matter

OBJECTIVE 2: Develop seed-based propagation protocols for species typically propagated from wild-collected rootstock.

Current cultivation relies on dividing wild-harvested roots, creating continued pressure on wild populations. We will test seed stratification treatments enabling sustainable, scalable cultivation.

Measurable outcomes:

• Optimal stratification protocols documented for each species (temperature, duration, success rates)
• Germination comparison: direct forest seeding vs. nursery propagation vs. root division
• Time-to-harvest calculations for seed-based vs. root-based establishment Published seed propagation protocols with photographs suitable for farmer adoption Economic analysis comparing costs and timelines

OBJECTIVE 3: Integrate 20 community members annually into forest farming, developing replicable outreach and curriculum models.

Existing volunteers, interns, and community members will participate as citizen scientists throughout the research process.

Measurable outcomes:

• 60 total participants over three years (20 annually) in planting, monitoring, harvesting, and processing
• Pre/post-assessments demonstrating increased knowledge of plants, forest ecology, and agriculture
• Community-collected data meeting research quality standards
• Volunteers successfully processing and marketing harvested materials
• Documented curriculum with lesson plans, assessment tools, adaptations, and safety protocols
• Qualitative data on community experiences through reflective journals and interviews

OBJECTIVE 4: Disseminate Vermont-specific protocols through demonstration plots, field days, and publications.

Measurable outcomes:

• Three field days attracting minimum 60 total participants (herbalists, landowners, educators)
• Comprehensive cultivation guide (20-25 pages) with Vermont-specific protocols, distributed in print (150 copies) and as free PDF
• Species-specific fact sheets (2 pages each)
• Minimum two conference presentations at regional gatherings
• Three to four educational videos (3-5 minutes each) with minimum 300 total views
• Findings shared through Northeast Forest Farming Coalition and United Plant Savers networks
• Permanent demonstration plots maintained for ongoing learning beyond grant period

These objectives address Vermont's lack of forest farming data while pioneering community engagement models, with outcomes measurable through quantitative data (germination, survival, growth), documented protocols, participation numbers, and publication metrics.