Mushroom Picking

Porcino · #1 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 01:41 PM

I have been mushroom picking in Epping Forest on Friday, 9th of October,2009.
It was a great morning and as always I enjoyed the walk and the fresh air. Unfortunately there is a lot more litter to be found in the woods these days.
I was lucky and found 4 large Penny Bun mushrooms nestled close to a dozen of Toadstools.
Happy with my find I returned tothe car park nearby. As I walked along the road a landrover stopped next to me. It was the Epping Forest Rangers and they asked me if I had heard that it was not permitted to pick mushrooms in these woods. They passed me a leaflet which read : Fungi Picking not permitted anywhere in Epping Forest.
They allowed me to keep the four mushrooms I had but took all my details including my car registration.
Can anybody confirm if a County Council can make it illegal to pick mushrooms. I would very much appreciate any feedback regards this subject. I have written to Epping Forest Visitor centre and await their reply.
Look forward to your comments.
Best wishes
Porcino

Morchella · #2 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 02:04 PM

Epping Forest is owned by the City of London. You used to be able to pick fungi if you first obtained a (free) permit from them, but this has now been stopped I think due to overpicking.

If you want to pick fungi there I think the only way is to joini an organised foray.

Laura

thelawnet · #3 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Porcino

Can anybody confirm if a County Council can make it illegal to pick mushrooms. I would very much appreciate any feedback regards this subject. I have written to Epping Forest Visitor centre and await their reply.
Look forward to your comments.

Epping Forest has its own by-laws, and whatever they say is law, so yes they can.

There's a notice here:

Visitor Centre

Fungi Licensing Scheme
The Fungi Licensing Scheme for Epping Forest has been terminated. Please do not pick up Fungi in the forest.

We would like to remind you that picking or removing anything from the Forest is an offence under the Epping Forest Byelaws.

Licences are currently granted for fungi research or organised educational fungi courses only: please contact Epping Forest Visitor Centre, tel 020 8508 0028 to discuss your educational needs. Licenses will not be issued for personal or private consumption.

Please be aware that our Forest Keepers will be closely monitoring this situation.

Thank you for your co-operation in helping to preserve our valuable natural habitat for all.

fairplay · #4 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 10:18 PM

Hello Porcino, and a big welcome to the fungi forum.

I don't know you, so have nothing against you, but I must say that I am pleased that these by-laws have been introduced, and even more pleased to see that they are being enforced, but as you will soon gather these are my own views and do not in any way represent the views of other members.

Neil.

thelawnet · #5 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fairplay

Hello Porcino, and a big welcome to the fungi forum.

I don't know you, so have nothing against you, but I must say that I am pleased that these by-laws have been introduced, and even more pleased to see that they are being enforced, but as you will soon gather these are my own views and do not in any way represent the views of other members.

do you think these laws should be more widely enacted? Or just on the basis that somewhere like Epping Forest is close to London and presumably gets overrun with pickers. It is also an ancient habitat, but then so are many good sites for fungi.

Kayleigh · #6 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 11:11 PM

I bet the restaurant trade has been picking them and selling them at huge profit

Its good that they have these laws...

fairplay · #7 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 11:22 PM

It could be a combination of overpicking and the extra pressure of people using the woodland disturbing the ecology to such a degree that these laws were thought necessary.
Even the problem of where people park their cars, danger to other road users, having to sacrifice woodland to provide parking areas, litter etc. all have to be taken into account.

If there are similar problems near other major city's then similar laws would need to be introduced, but proven justification will need to be presented first.

Neil.

Freespirit9 · #8 (**permalink**) 11-10-2009, 09:54 AM

hello Everyone
I have just joined and would like to know more about ''sensible'' and ''permitted'' Mushroon picking around London.
I am also open to joining organised forays.
Thanks
Happy Sunday

Chris Yeates · #9 (**permalink**) 11-10-2009, 10:02 AM

I'm pleased to see that "Licences are currently granted for fungi research or organised educational fungi courses . . ."

it would be a pity if the for-the-pot collectors were to impede mycological research; don't get me wrong, I like the occasional wild mushroom omelette or risotto, but am aware of the position re conservation

these are intended as comments about an attitude rather than against an individual, but I suspect that Porcino - the name is a clue, and the phrase "close to a dozen of Toadstools" is another - may not find too much support if he were to complain about this state of affairs at that particular site; I thoroughly approve of the rangers' actions - and the fact that they let him keep his finds seems more than reasonable

I think the best thing to do is to go to other, less high profile, sites and always to collect responsibly; unfortunately images such as the cover of Peter Jordan's Ultimate Mushroom Book, those on some television programmes with their bulging baskets and even - dare one say it - some of the "look how many we picked!" images on WAB, do not encourage restraint

by their very nature the well-known edible species do not require to be taken back home for further study; to be told at a site that I cannot collect for the pot would not bother me a jot - to be told I could not pursue my love of mycology and not collect samples of difficult species would leave me very upset, and I would happily go through the correct channels to get a license and contribute records

cheers

Chris

flaxton · #10 (**permalink**) 11-10-2009, 07:54 PM

Even as a poster of I am sure one of the "look how many I picked" photos on this site

I would still generally agree with Chris' sentiment. I do feel however that it is the commercial collecting that is the problem and not the over enthusiastic amateur. Because it has been such a poor year for (my kind of )edibles if I hadn't filled my boots last year I would certainly not have collected enough this year so see me through the winter. I now spend 90% of my time cataloguing my (inedible) finds but if I get the opportunity I do still collect for the pot. Even thought the books say they are edible I now find the excitement of finding Volveriella bombycina or Boletus paraciticus or Leccinum quercinum far outweighing any thought of eating them.

Mal