Korean ‘Housewives’ and ‘Hipsters’ Are Not Driving a New Illicit Plant Trade: Complicating Consumer Motivations Behind an Emergent Wildlife Trade in Dudleya farinosa

Jared D Margulies

doi:10.3389/fevo.2020.604921

Abstract

Illegal trade in wild plants receives less scientific and policy attention than illegal trade in wild animals and animal-derived products. One exception to this generalizable trend is the recent emergence of an illegal trade in the California succulent species Dudleya farinosa. US officials and mainstream media reporting on these incidents suggest the final destination of these plants is succulent consumer markets in South Korea and other East Asian countries. It is believed that this illegal trade emerged in response to sudden and widespread consumer demand for succulents due to: 1) the increasing popularity of succulent plants in mainstream South Korean and East Asian cultures writ large; and 2) the preferential valuing of ‘wild’ versus cultivated plants by succulent consumers. Based on findings from content analysis of media reports and in-depth qualitative interviews in California and South Korea, I argue instead for a more nuanced perspective of the drivers of this emergent trade, with the primary motivational desire for these plants coming from a selective and highly skilled community of succulent enthusiasts, rather than mainstream plant consumer groups. In presenting these findings I demonstrate the importance of in-depth, critical qualitative research for exploring the emergence of particular trades in wildlife in order to inform more sustainable and legal trades. I clarify the primary drivers of this new trade in Dudleya farinosa as an illegal but logical response to the economics and temporalities of plant trade. I offer suggestions on how these findings can inform more sustainable solutions to the illicit extraction of wild plants in meeting consumer demand.

Highlights

There is proportionally limited scientific research on illegal trades in plants compared to animals (Wyatt, 2013; Lavorgna et al, 2018; Margulies et al, 2019a)
Beginning in late 2017, California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) became aware of a growing problem of D. farinosa poaching by foreign nationals in multiple, unrelated incidents
The first reported incident in December 2017 was presumed by CDFW to be an isolated matter, and CDFW was alerted to the issue by a citizen who was suspicious of a man attempting to ship a large number of packages from a small post office in Mendocino, California

Summary

Introduction

There is proportionally limited scientific research on illegal trades in plants compared to animals (Wyatt, 2013; Lavorgna et al, 2018; Margulies et al, 2019a). A New Illicit Plant Trade published scientific research on their illegal trade (but see Sajeva et al, 2007; Goettsch et al, 2015; Lavorgna and Sajeva, 2020). There is very little empirical data on how succulent trades function, or what motivates consumer choices in collecting or purchasing plants traded illegally, including the scale, scope, and foundational drivers behind these trades (Hinsley et al, 2016; Lavorgna et al, 2018; Wyatt et al, 2020)

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion