BREVARD, N.C.—Gaia Herbs announced support for a multi-year field study by the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) Foundation for Education and Research on Botanicals (AHPA-ERB Foundation). The project will determine the long-term sustainable rates of harvest for wild populations of Osha, Ligusticum porteri, a root used to soothe respiratory ailments. Gaia will donate funds over the next two year to support the research being conducted by the University of Kansas Biological Survey and Environmental Studies Program. The Research has taken place since 2012 and will continue for another three years.
Based on the results of the research, AHPA will develop a manual on best practices for harvesting and conserving Osha. this will allow for a better understanding of the plant how ethical harvesting can be engaged. Findings from the first year of the study can be found at http://www.ahpafoundation.org/Osha.html.
Gaia Herbs is committed to supporting local and global communities in need. Over the past two years, Gaia has grown and donated more than 25,000 pounds of certified organic product to the Bread of Life Free Community Kitchen, which provides meals for the underprivileged and homeless in Brevard, NC, where Gaia is based.