United Plant Savers Timeline
1994
- United Plant Savers formed at the 4th International Herb Symposium (learn more about our beginnings)
- UpS created its seminal work, the At-Risk List
1996
- Tax-exampt status awarded by IRS
1997
- Dr. Richard Liebmann named as UpS’ first Executive Director
- UpS holds its first herbal conference at the UCSC Arboretum in Santa Cruz
- First UpS member plant giveaway distributing 2040 goldenseal plants!
1998
- UpS holds the Native Medicinal Plant Conservation and Cultivation conference in Hawaii
- 1st Goldenseal/CITES Conference sponsored by United Plant Savers, American Herbal Products Association, and World Wildlife Fund’s TRAFFIC North America held in March
- 1st Planting the Future conference held in October
- Initiation ceremony to establish the first UpS Botanical Sanctuary in Rutland, OH
1999
- Tornado takes down the “Mother Oak” whose wood was salvaged for the Medicine Trail Signs
- Work completed on the Yurt
- UpS hosts its first Sanctuary event, Medicines from the Earth with Rosemary Gladstar, Matthew Wood, Paul Strauss, Hank Huggins, and Paul Neidhart
- Botanical Sanctuary Network created to support others in creating their land as a sanctuary
2000
- MPCCP Intern program established
- Planting the Future: Saving Our Medicinal Herbs book by Rosemary Gladstar and Pamela Hirsch published
2001
- UpS office is moved to Ohio
- Partners in Education (PIE) program is launched
2002
- Devastating office fire causes huge setback for the organization, operations moved to home of office manager, Cindy Riviere
2003
- Lynda LeMole Sadler becomes Executive Director
- The Medicine Trail (Talking Forest Medicine Trail) completed
- Richo Cech’s book, Growing At Risk Medicinal Herbs, is published in collaboration with UpS
- The office moved back to Vermont
2004
- UpS Executive Director, Lynda LeMole, awarded the National Nutritional Foods Association’s (NNFA) Rachel Carson Environmental Achievement Award
2005
- 1st Annual Medicinal Plant Conservation Award presented
2005
- The Talking Forest Medicine Trail inauguration celebration – official opening of the 10-mile trail on Goldenseal Sanctuary to the public
- Publication of the BSN Workbook
2010
- Susan Leopold, PhD becomes Executive Director for the organization
2012
- UpS co-organizes the Sandalwood Symposium along with the International Sandalwood Symposium and publishes proceedings book
2013
- Our Common Roots produces film on the Medicinal Plant Conservation Certificate Program
2014
- The nonprofit American Botanical Council (ABC) announces that herbalist and educator Sara Katz, Board president, has been selected as the second-ever recipient of its Mark Blumenthal Herbal Community Builder Award.
- Jim & Peggy Duke Welcome Center fundraiser launched
2016
- Sacred Seeds transferred to UpS’ oversight
- United Plant Savers attends the IUCN Conservation Congress in Honolulu, Hawaii
2017
- The Future of Ginseng and Forest Botanicals Symposium held in July and proceedings book published
2018
- UpS receives the NBJ Stewardship Award from the Nutrition Business Journal
- UpS receives the AHPA Herbal Insight Award from the American Herbal Products Association
- Goldenseal Botanical Sanctuary video produced by Ryan Gebura
2019
- UpS acquires PCO FGV Program / Launches UpS Forest Grown Verified program
- 25th anniversary celebration and grand opening celebration for the Center for Medicinal Plant Conservation (dedicated to Jim and Peggy Duke)
- UpS receives the Sustainable Partnership Award from Rural Action
- Hope for Hydrastis fundraising campaign is held
2020
- Hope for Hydrastis program launched
- UpS establishes DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Committee
2021
- UpS acquires the Duke Ethnobotanical Archives
- UpS attends the IUCN Conservation Congress in Marseille, France
2022
- The Brickhouse Apothecary acquired
- UpS awarded the inaugural Stephen Foster Award for Conservation and Sustainability from the American Botanical Council
2023
- The Ohio Herbal Elders Project 2.0 DIGITAL EXHIBITION completed
- 16th International Herb Symposium held in Massachusetts
- 2nd edition of The Forest Farmers Handbook: A Beginners Guide to Growing and Marketing At-Risk Forest Herbs published
- The IHS Learning Center launched online
2024
- Susan Leopold receives the AHPA Environmental Impact Award
