Reasons not to pick mushrooms

Nature Talk
48

I have to say I disagree on this one. I can understand the frustration of finding a mushroom you wanted to look at smashed to bits, but there’s so many other factors at play as well.
From a scientific standpoint:

  • Taking samples to study has been the basis of knowledge since the beginning of science. Without the ability to bring it home, inspect it, dissect it, and do microscopy, you may not even be able to identify it at all.
  • Accurate ID and range mapping of these organisms is far more important than aesthetics, especially now with rapid changes and climate shifts. The less we know, the more likely we are to lose things forever.
  • Even if you could ID everything with just the cap and a gill shot, using a mirror is not very effective. Fungi grow in weird places with bad lighting, the angles are wrong for actually getting a picture, and it’s usually raining. I’ve yet to be able to get a useable picture with that technique.

As far as aesthetics and leaving them for others to enjoy, I find it so rare that anyone even notices the mushrooms, I would be impressed if a single other person (who wasn’t looking for them to harvest) would notice it again before it rotted away.

My personal opinion, and I’m sure others will disagree: I think the “look but never touch” mentality with regards to nature is more harmful than any amount of foraging could ever be. Yes, there are organisms that are overharvested to the detriment of the species, but the major losses are due to habitat loss, pollution, and climate change, which all stem from people’s general disinterest in nature.

Very few people care about what they can’t interact with. Ask my older relatives what they think of urban sprawl, and you’d get a very disinterested shrug. Ask them what they think of the housing development being built on the forest they used to go chestnut-picking in, and they’re ready to go to war over it.

I grew up in a forest (literally - we didn’t have a house) and my interest in conservation came entirely from finding things to eat out there. Once I learned about edible plants, I got interested in other ones, and so it went. Most of the conservationists I know also acquired their interests through foraging.

By forbidding taking anything from nature, we’ve decided it is no longer our ‘habitat.’ It doesn’t feed us, clothe us, or shelter us - it’s a passing entertainment at best, and easily forgotten.

And that’s why it’s dying.

I say pick the mushrooms, the herbs, and the fruits, learn everything you can from them. Eat them. Fight against the hands off approach, and against the criminalisation of natural interactions.

I’ll get off my soapbox now, thanks for reading :)

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49

I know as fact that Europe has less traditions in gathering mushrooms for food, that’s logic assuming many species get more poison in them in southern countries. But still it’s a fact many people say that their neighbors have no idea which mushrooms they live with, all they know (sometimes) are Agaricus. Then you say how people are enjoying mushrooms, no, most of them don’t, they either eat them or not notice at all. No need in destroying them all, but if it’s done for purpose I see no problem. (Though I don’t find one to do it with every one of a certainly one species growing together, that’s absurd) And sure, it’s totally legal, the only places you’re not allowed are central parts of national parks and national reserves.

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50

depends where you live. In Canada or US probably, In Europe or places like northern Italy, you’d be surprised to see how at weekends the sheer number of people walking along mountain path and venting the frustration for not getting their coveted lot is impacting the amount of fungi you can observe. You need to go off track to find something decent to observe.

Not that if you pick them you roll back those issues, any way. You just add your burden to the lot.

I did as well, but I moved on.

Looks like you have a functional view of Nature. Out there to serve - if it does not, then at least be entertainment! :thinking: certainly not mine.

Nature has been out there millions and millions years, without our approval. I am sure if it had a will limited as humans have, it would just tell humankind “so long thanks for all the fish”

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52

increased yield has been the focus of humankind since the establishment of agriculture and farming - we would be hunter-gatherer otherwise. If billions people had to go and use nature as a source of food, we would destroy the planet in a very short time.
This thing of foraging wild stuff is a luxury humans should resort for necessity and lack of alternative (rare case nowadays) not for leisure. I understand that this triggers the emotions of a lot of people who think that as tradition and old times memory and chanche to feel manhood (hunting) but - rationally - it is what it is - a luxury at expense of a battered wilderness.

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53

Out of curiosity, where are you from? Where I live, there are quite a lot of people who rely on foraging for their food needs. In fact, that’s the only reason we ever had enough to eat when I was growing up. And when I was in college, I survived pretty much exclusively off what I could forage, grow in a tiny 4x10 patch of dirt, or pull out of dumpsters.

I think this thread is a good reminder of the wide diversity in cultures and experiences that inaturalist users have!

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54

I’ll admit it, I find your words somewhat offensive. Please do not assume that the situation is the same everywhere, I do not know the cultural and ecological aspects of foraging where you live, but where I live the majority of ecological degradation is occurring through urban expansion, farming and “lawnification”, foraging simply is not comparable to these other stressors here. Perhaps I must say that I have taken a significant effort to restore native plant communities on my foraging grounds (whether they are species I use or otherwise) to make you realize that I don’t wish for the destruction of the planet? I think the Earth could truly benefit from more people taking a direct interest in restoring natural communities, I’m sure we can both agree that we need more people who wish to have forests and meadows than they do lawns and grocery stores. I mean no disrespect, I hope you are well.

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55

as stated I am from Italy.
And what am I saying different? You are stating that they need foraging for carry on with their life, which is encompassed in my “lack of alternative”
Cannot understand what’s the issue with what I wrote.

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56

I was just surprised you said it was rare, that was all.

57

After consulting with some of the other moderators, I’ve set this topic to close in about 10 minutes or so to prevent it from becoming personal or divisive, I know it’s a subject which brings up a lot of strong feelings. I think @graysquirrel said it well that it’s a good reminder of how diverse the community is. Let’ s keep working toward a great understanding of each other, and remember to criticize ideas and not people.

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58

Well, I live in Europe where that is not a case (hence, sorry is rare). But I understand very well that people living in Asia or the wildest areas of US or Canada or South America or Africa do not hunt of forage for fun. I have been a passionate reader of the little blog in the big woods, figure it.
That’s different from the dentist paying loads of money to go and kill some lion abroad for fun.
I did not mean to be diminuishing or offensive, sorry if it struck a nerve - that was not what I meant to do.

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