Wildcrafting

Wildcrafting is the practice of gathering and using materials from the wild for food, medicinal, construction and craft use. Wildcrafting does not always have to be done in the "wild", as there are areas within urban and suburban areas that can afford a wildcrafter (one who wildcrafts) the opportunity to gather materials from the wild.

Some of the more typical items people wildcraft are; driftwood, flowers, feathers, rocks, shells, clay, wicker, seaweed, mushrooms, nuts, food, herbs, berries, seeds, grains, cones, roots, bark etc.

One of the main concerns and practices of the wildcrafter is the sustainability of the local ecology. Wildcrafters and herbalists who are either themselves wildcrafters or depend on wildcrafters for source materials, take steps to ensure the sustainability and preservation of the eco-system

It can not be overly stress that wildcrafting is an art and practice that requires a great deal of knowledge. It is of utmost importance that a wildcrafter knows exactly what plants and resources he or she is wildcrafting as there is always an associated risk of gathering a dangerous or poisonous item.

The most common or typical use of the term wildcrafting, is used to describe the work of a herbalist to harvest plants and botanical material from its natural setting in the wild. When a herbalist seeks to harvest plants and botanicals that are grown without cultivation, herbicides or fertilizers, this is known as wildcrafting.

The goal is to harvest in an ecologically sustainable manner by taking efforts to minimize the disruptive impact on the environment and the local growing conditions to ensuring the continued health and vitality of area being wildcrafted.