Episode #16
Rooted in Reciprocity: Herbalism, Conservation & the Plants We Depend On
What does it really mean to care for the plants we use? In this episode of The Wild Rose Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Susan Leopold, Executive Director of United Plant Savers , for a thoughtful and nuanced conversation about medicinal plant conservation, biodiversity, wildcrafting, and our responsibility to the ecosystems that sustain herbal medicine. Susan shares how United Plant Savers approaches conservation through relationship and reciprocity, while exploring the many pressures facing medicinal plants and their habitats. We talk about habitat loss, overharvesting, invasive species, restoration, forest farming, and why protecting intact ecosystems can be more complicated than simply planting more trees. We also look at the role herbalists can play in conservation: learning where our medicines come from, asking better questions about sourcing, paying attention to what is abundant within our own bioregions, supporting botanical sanctuaries, and finding meaningful ways to give back to the plants and places we depend on. This conversation moves beyond simple rules about what we should or shouldn’t harvest and instead asks what it means to remain in relationship with plants while becoming better stewards of the living world. Conservation through relationship and reciprocity The pressures facing at-risk medicinal plants Habitat loss, wild harvesting, and biodiversity Why protecting intact ecosystems matters The complexities of invasive species and ecological restoration Forest farming and creating more sustainable sources of medicinal plants How herbalists can make more thoughtful choices around sourcing and plant use Practical ways to support plant conservation within our own communities The Wild Rose Podcast is hosted by Megan Kendrick, Registered Clinical Herbalist and Herbal Village Coordinator at Wild Rose College. Megan is drawn to holistic perspectives that explore how plant medicine, health, culture, ecology, and lived experience intersect, and how different worldviews shape the ways we understand healing and relationship. Through The Wild Rose Podcast, she creates space for thoughtful, grounded conversations that honour both the art and science of herbalism while exploring the wider relationships between people, plants, health, and the living world. Learn more about United Plant Savers: https://unitedplantsavers.org/ Learn more about Wild Rose College of Herbal Medicine: https://wildrosecollege.com/ Subscribe to The Wild Rose Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube for more conversations on herbal medicine, ecology, traditional knowledge, holistic health, and our relationship with the living world. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who might appreciate the conversation. In This Episode, We Explore:About the HostResources & Links
