Conservation Programs

Wild Harvest Initiative

 
The Wild Harvest Initiative systematically quantified wild protein harvest on a large scale emphasizing the importance of modern hunting and fishing. Wild protein harvest is one of the most healthy and ecologically sustainable methods of food procurement, and is an integral part of our diet, culture and economy.

This initiative brings together sustainable use supporters led by Conservation Visions Inc. which is a private conservation organization focused on building boarder coalitions in support of biodiversity and sustainable use.

Species involved: animals and plants harvested for consumption and medicinal purposes in the U.S.

Project Partner: Conservation Visions, Inc.

SCIF Investment: $85,000 with funding support from the Hunter Legacy Fund

SCIF Involvement: 2016-2024

Project Outcomes

This project demonstrated that hunting and angling can provide societal benefits in both food and medicine. This study highlights the scope and scale of forest food harvest. Based on publicly available data, hunting surveys and proprietary data from the Wild Harvest Initiative®, the authors estimated the amount of food and medicine from wild harvested flora and fauna, and meat produced from domesticated livestock grazed on public forest lands.


Their evidence supports the assertion that large volumes of forest-dependent fauna and flora contribute to the health and well-being of a substantial portion of the country’s population. Each year, over 255,000 tons of forest foods and medicines are harvested across lands in the United States.

To review the study finding – Provisioning food and medicine from public forests in the United States – ScienceDirect

Want to learn more about the project?  Watch this video.  https://youtu.be/mLNcE2T9tys

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