Ramp/Leek "Culture" in Northern Appalachia: A Study of Attitudes, Behaviors, and Knowledge Surrounding a Non-Timber Forest Product
Open Access
- Author:
- Pugh, Cathryn
- Graduate Program:
- Forest Resources
- Degree:
- Master of Science
- Document Type:
- Master Thesis
- Date of Defense:
- May 09, 2022
- Committee Members:
- Bradley Cardinale, Program Head/Chair
Eric Paul Burkhart, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor
Melissa Kreye, Committee Member
Clare Hinrichs, Committee Member
Elsa Sánchez, Committee Member - Keywords:
- Non-timber forest product
Ramp
Allium tricoccum
Agroforestry
Wild leek - Abstract:
- Ramps or wild leeks (Allium tricoccum, Aiton) are a type of edible wild onion that are wild harvested as a culturally important non-timber forest product (NTFP) in the eastern United States. Despite their importance as an NTFP, little has been documented regarding the cultural and economic significance of ramps in the Northern Appalachian region. This 2019-2021 mixed-methods study involving survey instruments and key informant interviews is the first to provide insights into the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of ramp community members in Northern Appalachia and adjacent regions. Harvesters were found to possess a greater level of local ecological knowledge (LEK) about ramps when compared to consumers and had significantly more experience with ramps. Ramp community members revealed that tradition, connection to nature, economic opportunities, and culinary interest are the main drivers of ramp interest and foraging appeal. The popularity of ramps in Northern Appalachia appears to be increasing, with 1 in 6 consumers and 1 in 4 harvesters surveyed reporting being new to ramps in the last 5 years. Most harvesters surveyed (90%) reported using at least one type of management or stewardship practice within their harvest areas to promote the growth of ramp populations. Commercial harvesters (n = 12) were found to have a larger impact on ramp populations on a per person basis, with reported removals of 3,000 to 7,200 pounds per year. Ramps collected for personal use (n = 132, harvesters) was estimated at 250 to 1300 pounds total per year, by comparison. Although these impacts were limited to estimates provided by the convenience and snowball sample frames, the differences in quantities sold for the formal market compared to informal market are notable. Educational efforts are recommended to ensure responsible engagement with ramps across Northern Appalachia and should target consumers who in this study were found to know much less about ramp biology and conservation needs when compared with harvesters. In particular, targeted consumer education could benefit resource stewardship by delaying consumer ramp season purchases until after plants and bulbs have had a chance to attain maximum size in later spring months, resulting in fewer plants being needed to comprise a given weight.