Sustainability
with Phyllis D. Light, RH, Herbalist

For 2007 you’ll notice that our quiz themes will be centered on topics concerning sustainability, natural (green) living, and the stewardship of herbs. This month’s quiz is based on a course from CCNH’s curriculum, HER 344 — The Stewardship of Herbs.

1. According to Rosemary Gladstar, which of the following statements is/are true regarding sustainability?

a.		One way to ensure the survival of many herbs is to grow them yourself.
b.		Only small plots of land are necessary to form botanical sanctuaries.
c.		When creating your own botanical sanctuary, it is important to use local sources whenever possible to help preserve your ecosystem.
d.		all of the above

2. Which of the following statements is true regarding the guidelines of ethical wild plant harvesting?

a.		Gather all of the plants you need from only one stand.
b.		Before harvesting a plant, be sure that you have identified it properly.
c.		For every ten plants, harvest seven and leave three.
d.		If you find an endangered species, it is important to harvest and store as many plants as you can, as you may not be able to find it when you need it.

3. A 370-acre plant sanctuary has been created in Ohio by:

a.		Plants-R-Us.
b.		Plants of America United.
c.		United Plant Savers.
d.		Save Our Plant Life.

4. According to Gregory Tilford, author of From Earth to Herbalist, many herbs are over-harvested because:

a.		their uses are misrepresented in the marketplace.
b.		their recommended uses require large quantities to be effective.
c.		they symbolize a healthy, pure reconnection to the earth, an idea that has become popular.
d.		most plant remedies work within broad parameters of therapeutic usefulness.

5. Only the top third of the _____________ plant should be harvested, and only in the case of an emergency. This plant is wastefully exploited, and substitutions such as pyrola should be used whenever possible.

a.		pipsissewa
b.		pineapple weed
c.		plantain
d.		shepherd’s purse

6. The use of _______________ to dry fresh herbs may result in an oxide residue deposit that can speed the chemical breakdown of the herbs.

a.		plastic drying racks
b.		burlap bags
c.		tree limbs
d.		metal screens

7. It takes three or more years for ____________ to bloom. Although this plant is useful for mucosal inflammations, it has been misrepresented as an antibiotic. It should be used from cultivated sources only, and other plants should be substituted whenever possible.

a.		goldenrod
b.		goldthread
c.		goldenseal
d.		gravel root

8. True or False: Wild elderberry shrubs transplant well and grow quickly.

a.		true
b.		false

9. Making ________________ is a wonderful way to receive the benefits of plants without disrupting or destroying their life cycles.

a.		flower essences
b.		essential oils
c.		potpourri
d.		salves

10. The ___________ bark of the slippery elm is prized both as a food and for its medicinal properties.

a.		outer
b.		dark red
c.		inner
d.		cooked, mashed, and strained