Questions To Ask Yourself Before Harvesting Osha Root
Bears require Osha root to be available when they rise from hibernation in the spring.
Who is Osha for?
Are there bears in the area who are more in need of Osha root than I am?
Do I already have Osha root in my medicine cabinet? One root can be used hundreds of times, and should last your whole lifetime.
Do I know someone who has Osha root already that can share with me instead of harvesting from the wild?
Have I tended to and observed the grove where I would be harvesting for a minimum of 7 years to see if the Osha is safely growing at a healthy rate?
Do I fully understand the life cycle of Osha, and the medicinal properties of all parts of the plant, especially how to access the spiritual power of the Osha grove without killing Osha plants by harvesting them by the root?
Have I learned all I can about Osha analogs that are not endangered, and can I prioritize them?
Do I know everything I can about the status of Osha—not just in my local area—but more broadly, and have I fully considered the risks due to overharvesting, climate change, wildfires, habitat loss, and more?
*The only situation in which harvesting Osha root would be very appropriate in Colorado is if impending building/roadwork or development meant that the plants would be destroyed anyway.
