I am an amateur naturalist in Georgia, USA, and I am interested in participating in my first mycoblitz this summer. I have few loose connections to the managers of local/state parks, but the start date of the summer 2026 mycoblitz snuck up on me, so I may not have enough time to receive formal permission to collect specimens on the property they manage. As such, I have been considering alternative methods of receiving permission to collect and alternative types of properties where I can collect fungi samples.
My main questions are: (1) Are there any local/state/federal properties where I can apply for & receive permission to collect samples in under a week?
(2) Are there areas in the United States where citizens are given blanket permission to collect samples?
(3) Is there a map/resource available where I can search for local areas that have given blanket permission to collect samples?
Feel free to answer one or all of these questions. It may seem like I am being neurotic about this, But I work a job that receives federal/state/local funding. So, I would rather not create a record that I illegally removed wildlife from government property, as I fear this could make me un-hireable if it garners the wrong attention. Also, I have a bit of an ego (don’t we all), so I would prefer not to submit my samples anonymously. Let me know how/where you collect. Feel free to share tips for your home country even if you’re not from the United States.
I don’t really have a good answer for you, because it’s really going to be on a state-by-state and park-by-park basis, and I am just NOT familiar with policies in Georgia.
@cabracrazy might know, though I don’t know how active she is on the forums - you may try sending her a private message and asking.
I don’t know the rules in Georgia, but will add a few ideas:
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You might be able to collect more easily on private property than state property. Check the Georgia regs for fungus collection.
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Permissions processes are likely to vary from state property type to property type (park vs. WMA) and even individual properties. Some states require clearance from individual property managers before permission is granted. Unless you know someone, or have an existing permit for somewhere that you just want to amend, getting permission in < a week seems unlikely.
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You are right to not want to make illegal collections on state lands. As a state biologist, I can say that if someone does this (and it’s known), that would likely be considered when deciding to grant permits in the future, and if one were to apply for a position, etc.
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One way you may be able to collect quickly is to work with someone who has a permit. State procedures vary, but some states allow collecting as long as someone in the group has a permit, or with addition of specific sub-permitees (adding these might be possible in < a week).
I’ve corresponded with Alisha before. I should be able to get her attention and see what she knows.
A close friend owns a lot of property in the area. The properties are mostly suburban, but several are vacant, so exploring those might work out for the best.
I’ll look into the laws that allow collection while accompanying someone who has a permit. That sounds promising because I know the managers’ coworkers better than park managers, so they may allow me to join their mushroom hunts.
Private property is likely to be a good bet, if you can find a good way to contact the owners. A polite “hello, I’m studying fungi, would you mind if I came and looked around your property for some fungi to collect?” would probably go over reasonably well. If the landowner seems hesitant, maybe tell them that this isn’t any kind of official survey that might lead to them getting a “you have a super rare fungus in your yard, you can’t do anything in there” letter.