Foraging (for fungi) becoming an issue ?

[David Humphries]

A colleague has recently been interviewed about the issue of 'over' foraging by gangs who are stripping ancient woodland for commercial purposes.

 

Illegal foragers are stripping UK forests of fungi | Environment | theguardian.com

 

Not something I've seen occurring within the woodland where I work

But certainly noticing a dearth of fruit bodies where as many other people across the mycology forums are seeing a wide variety of species all across the UK.

So perhaps in the early hours there's picking going on unseen.

 

Any views?

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[sloth]

I've heard of people encountering groups of eastern Europeans collecting fungi to sell at market/to restaurants etc from Epping Forest. I'd be more surprised if it doesn't go on to be honest - I imagine a good early forage at the right time could pay handsomely in parts of London...

 

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[s.varty]

No different than poachers shooting pheasants etc and selling them on.

[David Humphries]

No different than poachers shooting pheasants etc and selling them on.

 

I don't agree with your analogy here due to the nature of the ecology of the species being 'poached'

 

Pheasants are a 'naturalised' species that are managed to be shot and abundant in number (granted poaching them is obviously illegal)

 

There are certain species of fungi that are incredibly rare (in part due to their specific habitat) and protected by law (because of their rarity) which are probably picked without a single thought to the fragile nature of their continued existence and let alone the hazard of their toxicity.

 

The 'art' & knowledge of sustainable foraging is being diluted by commercialism

 

 

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[Marko]

A feature about this problem was on 'Farming Today' BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, Mushrooms, Wheat, Salt Marsh and Chartered Agriculture

[ArthurBottlesworth]

It's very popular, if you go on trade fruit and vegetable websites there are loads selling foraged muhrooms,

 

They mustvbe coming from somewhere......

[Arborist]

Yes is a problem in Swinley forest!

[teepeeat]

not surprising considering the amount of coverage foraging has had in the media the last few years. Where ever someone can make a buck, everything else comes second in the eyes of enough people for it to become a problem.

Arnt human beings a brilliant species

Any word of increased poisoning incidents as yet as this is sure to follow