Mushroom picking banned

tomino2112 · Oct 2, 2017

Mushroom picking ban in New Forest: http://londonwhere.com/walking/mushroom-picking-in-new-forest

Soon enough we will be banned picking our noses...

Don't get me wrong I understand that some people are upset because someone is "abusing" forests, keeping fish and what not, but it just feels like soon enough we will be afraid to even go to forest only not to brake one of the millions of rules there are.

It really bugs me that you pretty much cannot have proper outdoor/wilderness experience in the UK anymore. I want to go out into forest with my son, pick some mushrooms, catch some fish, camp, cook our catches in campsite etc. I cannot think of one country that restricts "free living" more than the UK

swizzle · Oct 2, 2017

Living on the edge of the forest I can honestly say I have never seen any one picking mushrooms from the forest. Only myself and for a totally different purpose.

nottskev · Oct 2, 2017

I agree, and in terms of my own fishing, I avoid over-proscriptive commercials in favour of places that trust anglers' discretion and common sense.

I've read that the mushroom ban arises from commercial pickers flouting the rules by pretending to forage for a small personal amount. If that's true, faced with this, and other, examples of the "entrepreneurial spirit", beloved of some, it's hard to see what the authorities can do to prevent over-exploitation. I'm happy, like you, to enjoy the outdoors, but some people are only out to make money from it.

tomino2112 · Oct 2, 2017

swizzle said:
Living on the edge of the forest I can honestly say I have never seen any one picking mushrooms from the forest. Only myself and for a totally different purpose.

Back home (Czech Republic) mushroom picking is very popular. Especially in the area where I live there are many forest and every autumn you see floods of grandmas, families, well pretty much everyone going to the forests and picking. Everyone is happy, no one is complaining.

So my wife (not Czech) came to like it so much during her stay there that she was super excited to go mushrooming over here, and now she came with this... It seems that every time we try and enjoy something here, yet another rule come in place that means we have to watch our back not to pi$$ someone off - because of course we we are caught doing something people dont agree with, as foreigners, everyone makes big deal out of it...

Sorry just a rant because we were literally planning weekend trip just to that place for that reason...

Hugh Bailey · Oct 2, 2017

We have had a similar ban locally. From a few people picking the odd mushroom or 2 it became a sort of industrial scale collection, and like the New Forest, it was on heath-land, which is pretty easily damaged with people tramping all over the heather etc. The area is an SSSI and due to the impact of the pickers, it was banned. Shame really, but understandable.

mikench · Oct 2, 2017

I have seen loads of wild mushrooms near some of my venues but have never picked any as I could not be 100% certain they were edible ! I even have a little book too!

Blewits and Agarics look the same to me!

Windy · Oct 2, 2017

swizzle said:
.....I have never seen any one picking mushrooms from the forest. Only myself and for a totally different purpose.

Mushrooms on toast for the Mother in law I take it.... ? :wh

Windy · Oct 2, 2017

nottskev said:
...it's hard to see what the authorities can do to prevent over-exploitation.

I'm with you on the sentiment but not on the particular instance...

Mushrooms are not the plant but simply the fruiting body of the mycelium fungus underlying it and distributed through the soil or other medium. Picking mushrooms does nothing to damage the parent, in the same way that picking apples does not damage the tree. It is rather difficult to see how you can "over-exploit" the free bounty of nature in this particular instance ?.

Must confess, I understood that the ban was because of the environmental impact of the pickers hoofing about all over the shop, as Hugh suggests above.

S-Kippy · Oct 2, 2017

I wonder if we were allowed a bit more freedom in the UK whether the issues/problems would go away ? I know you can hardly compare the UK to a Greek island but on Keffalonia you could park wherever you like for free, fish anywhere you like [except in Argostoli harbour where there are turtles] and pretty well do whatever you like as long as it didn't upset anybody else. Judging by the look of some of the motorcycles/cars on the road its clear the Greeks have no concept of anything like an MOT....or if they do nobody enforces it.

Goodness knows what visitors to the UK think of our myriad rules and restrictions. I know there are always those who will exploit a bit of freedom but all these rules/restrictions are beginning to get terribly tedious. On one of my club waters bivvies, bedchairs and the cooking of food on the bank is banned. There are reasons why which I can understand to a degree but it does seem rather petty.

nottskev · Oct 2, 2017

Windy said:
I'm with you on the sentiment but not on the particular instance...

Mushrooms are not the plant but simply the fruiting body of the mycelium fungus underlying it and distributed through the soil or other medium. Picking mushrooms does nothing to damage the parent, in the same way that picking apples does not damage the tree. It is rather difficult to see how you can "over-exploit" the free bounty of nature in this particular instance ?.

Must confess, I understood that the ban was because of the environmental impact of the pickers hoofing about all over the shop, as Hugh suggests above.

Fair point. I did google the current "picking " controversies, before posting, including the much-ref'd Swiss study which concluded that harvesting makes no difference. Nonetheless, there are concerns, amongst them that trampling the ground etc may be damaging, and codes of practice have been put out by conscientious pickers, sensible or not I'm not qualified to say. I should have put my point more carefully; "exploitation" referred to picking to sell rather than eat. I'd feel similar if I found all the local blackberries were being stripped and sold to restaurants. A case of me feeling liberal towards personal use and more restrictive towards business use. I was in Lithuania last summer, and the family mushrooming trips to the forest were a treat. But they have lots of forest and relatively few people......

Peter Jacobs · Oct 2, 2017

When my 2 boys were quite young we lived in Oslo and not 4 miles from our house was a lovely lake where we would camp out overnight, cut a "rod" from the trees and fish for wild trout.

When caught they were gutted and cooked on an open fire (all perfectly legally) and then we'd watch the sunset over the trees before turning in for a night sleeping under the stars, and all in perfect safety.

Years later, when I was divorced, and had moved back to Norway you could fish anywhere that you could get to, (other than a few expensive rivers in the very north) for just an annual licence fee to the government.

To the best of my knowledge, open fires are still allowed in most places and the only rules are those first noted by the members of a US Cave and Potholing club:

"Take nothing by photographs, leave nothing but foot prints and kill nothing but time"

To my mind there are far too many daft rules here in the UK, but then there are also far too many daft people too . . . . .

Maybe some of those rules are really necessary . . . .

tomino2112 · Oct 2, 2017

S-Kippy said:
I wonder if we were allowed a bit more freedom in the UK whether the issues/problems would go away ? I know you can hardly compare the UK to a Greek island but on Keffalonia you could park wherever you like for free, fish anywhere you like [except in Argostoli harbour where there are turtles] and pretty well do whatever you like as long as it didn't upset anybody else. Judging by the look of some of the motorcycles/cars on the road its clear the Greeks have no concept of anything like an MOT....or if they do nobody enforces it.

I just came back from Zakynthos on Sunday

Same situation as in Keffalonia.

Have to say I am feeling a little better now seeing that some of you guys also think the rules are getting out of hand, was expecting much different response.

I dont think there need to be rules. I think if everyone uses common sense that should be enough.

I have to say I dont even see much problem in people using nature for commercial purposes. I mean if I go and buy a piece of forest and collect mushrooms and other resources from there and sell them, I am basically doing exactly the same thing. I feel like there is little concern for nature in all those rules and more concern of "How can someone make money out of something while I dont even though we have both same rights to it!" It is definitely broader topic, but in my opinion slapping nonsense rules (you can have only one and a half kilo of mushrooms!) on everything leads to nowhere.

I guess next time I go to forest I will be bringing my scales with me... Is that including the basket though?

flightliner · Oct 2, 2017

In northern Italy there is a specie of mushroom in the upland forests that are illegal to pick but are in big demand, I don't like mushrooms ' crept in soup as a rule but I have tasted the Italian variety and they are truly delicious.
So, how come if they are off limits have I tried them?
Simple, the locals just walk over the border into Austria and nick theirs !

terry m · Oct 2, 2017

I actually don't think that this is a case of rules out of hand. On the contrary the article outlines some very reasonable control measures. And it states clearly that there is no plan to lead anyone off in handcuffs.

Unless I am reading a different article I read it as there being restricted areas (as opposed to a total ban), and also a limit of 1.5 KG to deter commercial foragers.

Anyone that believes they need more than 1.5 kilos of mushrooms for personal use needs to get a grip.

As a resident on the Northern edge of the forest I am happy to say I have a vested interest here. Pick what you need for your own use and you wont go far wrong.

nottskev · Oct 2, 2017

tomino2112 said:
I have to say I dont even see much problem in people using nature for commercial purposes. I mean if I go and buy a piece of forest and collect mushrooms and other resources from there and sell them, I am basically doing exactly the same thing. I feel like there is little concern for nature in all those rules and more concern of "How can someone make money out of something while I dont even though we have both same rights to it!"

As I said earlier, I'm sympathetic to your point of view, and I can imagine your frustration.

But The New Forest is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), an EU Special Area of Conservation (SAC), a Special Protection Area for birds (SPA), and a Ramsar Site. It also has its own Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP). I don't think an area is given that degree of protection just because the authorities are fed up that they didn't think of selling the mushrooms first!

If you can buy your own piece of forest, it's a different matter. But this concerns public space. Even in a public town park, there are lots of things a person can do, but they can't take the flowers and sell them. One reason for rules in public places is to ensure there is something there for the next person to enjoy.

Surely there must be somewhere else you can go mushrooming?

Philip · Oct 2, 2017

Its understandable as unfortunatly nothing messes places up more than human beings and the South East of England is now the most densely populated place in Europe & you can go nowhere and do nothing without it being controlled.

I suspect they will soon try and radio tag each mushroom crop with a GPS reference shortly followed by registered “mushroom days” with a licensed guide …only £20 for a 3 hour walk about were they show you the mushrooms but your not allowed to actually pick them. Actual mushrooms will be for sale afterwards in the gift shop.

Licensed Mushroom guides in turn have to go through a government controlled training scheme and then pay an annual fee for their license and are controlled on a spot check basis by a Mushroom guide inspector who ensures they are working to a strict code of working conduct that was drawn up by a 16 person committee in London funded by a government environment grant.

Close tabs are being kept on the scheme which if deemed to be successful will be extended to blackberry picking, chestnut collection and anyone who scrapes up abandoned horse manure to put on their roses.

flightliner · Oct 2, 2017

Philip said:
Its understandable as unfortunatly nothing messes places up more than human beings and the South East of England is now the most densely populated place in Europe & you can go nowhere and do nothing without it being controlled.

I suspect they will soon try and radio tag each mushroom crop with a GPS reference shortly followed by registered “mushroom days” with a licensed guide …only £20 for a 3 hour walk about were they show you the mushrooms but your not allowed to actually pick them. Actual mushrooms will be for sale afterwards in the gift shop.

Licensed Mushroom guides in turn have to go through a government controlled training scheme and then pay an annual fee for their license and are controlled on a spot check basis by a Mushroom guide inspector who ensures they are working to a strict code of working conduct that was drawn up by a 16 person committee in London funded by a government environment grant.

Close tabs are being kept on the scheme which if deemed to be successful will be extended to blackberry picking, chestnut collection and anyone who scrapes up abandoned horse manure to put on their roses.

They,ve cut down all the trees n put them in a tree museum , now charge us all a dollar 'n a half to see em !

maggot_dangler · Oct 2, 2017

flightliner said:
They,ve cut down all the trees n put them in a tree museum , now charge us all a dollar 'n a half to see em !

Joni Mitchell - Big Yellow Taxi .

PG ...

bracket · Oct 2, 2017

When I was in my late teens, the club I fished with at the time had matches on the River Nene, mostly around Wandsford and Nassington. This area was alive with a kind of fungi we called "blue buttons". They were considered a delicacy in Nottingham and people would pay well for them. On those match days I always managed to collect a carrier bag full, the proceeds from which would keep me in ale all night. I never learnt their proper Latin name. I don't know of them being eaten elsewhere, but they were easy to identify and delicious with bacon. That, of course, was in the days before regulations stifled our lifestyles. Pete.

Philip · Oct 2, 2017

flightliner said:
In northern Italy there is a specie of mushroom in the upland forests that are illegal to pick but are in big demand, I don't like mushrooms ' crept in soup as a rule but I have tasted the Italian variety and they are truly delicious.
So, how come if they are off limits have I tried them?
Simple, the locals just walk over the border into Austria and nick theirs !

I think your probably talking about the Porcini mushroom ?
...which is basically the Cepe and one of the most easily recongnizable edible mushrooms.

Cut into thin slices and laid out on wooden planks to dry in the sun for 3 or 4 days they will then last for many months in a sealed jar and are indeed delicious.

In Tuscany the locals guard their mushroom spots jealously..and you never note NEVER share their location with ANYONE ! They always cut off the mushroom leaving some of the stem in the ground..they dont pull the entire mushroom out. This helps to ensure future growth.

The porcini mushroom (along with the chesnut) was one of the few food sources available to the mountain villages in the war years, without which people would have starved so they learnt how to harvest them properly and to ensure sustainability, they also apply something that appears to be getting in shorter and shorter supply in the world in general - its called common sense.

Out of interest the easy way to distinguish the cepe from a similar but posinous mushroom is to press your finger into the soft underside of the cap. If it turns blue dont eat it.

Mushroom picking banned

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Moderator

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member