Protecting the Medicines That Protect Us

Healing is not only about caring for people. It is also about caring for the living world that makes healing possible.

During my graduate studies in herbal medicine I was introduced to a reality that changed the course of my life: many of our most treasured medicinal plants are quietly disappearing from the wild. Species that have supported humanity for centuries now face mounting pressures from habitat loss, overharvesting, invasive species, and environmental change. I realized that if I was going to devote my life to herbal medicine, I also carried a responsibility to help protect the very plants upon which that medicine depends.

That realization became the foundation of Michigan Protects, a federally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to planting, protecting, and preserving native medicinal plant species that are at risk for extinction throughout Michigan. What began as a simple desire to give back to the plant kingdom has grown into partnerships with forest preserves, land conservancies, botanists, educators, volunteers, and communities working together to restore native medicinal ecosystems. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

Each year we cultivate thousands of native medicinal plants, establish new seed beds, restore woodland habitats, educate volunteers, and work alongside organizations such as United Plant Savers to ensure these remarkable species remain available for future generations—not only for herbalists, but for the health of entire ecosystems. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}