Bucks wildlife charity warns over ‘commercial scale’ fungi foraging on nature reserves

A Bucks wildlife charity is begging people not to pick mushrooms on its nature reserves, after gangs of foragers have been seen ripping up fungi on a ‘commercial scale'.

The Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) has made the appeal after sightings of groups walking around reserves filling plastic bags with fungi.

The charity, which manages 86 nature reserves across the three counties, says people are allowed to forage on any land where they have the landowner's permission - but it does not allow the activity on any of the sites it manages.

Land manager Roger Stace said: "This year I have seen lots of fungi that have clearly been snapped off - many just left there upside down - so my suspicion is that people were picking it, realising it wasn't edible, and leaving it.

"Members of public have also reported seeing teams of people sweeping across the site with big carrier bags.

"We see this problem every autumn, but I think it’s worse this year - we've certainly had more reports – and I suspect that is partly down to the cost of living crisis. I also fear commercial foragers are selling stolen fungi to restaurants for money."

Roger added: "We are lucky to have some incredibly rare fungus species on our nature reserves, and if people aren't trained they could be picking and destroying these rare species.

“On a commercial scale, some of these untrained mushroom pickers just take everything they see and someone else sorts through them afterwards and throws away what they don't want – including potentially poisonous fungi.

"That in itself is a pretty sad state of affairs, but if people do that year after year, you could destroy the precious populations of amazing fungi that we and our volunteers have worked for decades to protect.”

Foraging also removes hugely important sources of food for a host of wild animals and even other fungi.

Fungi also benefit their environment in more complex ways. Almost all mushrooms and toadstools above ground are the product of a large, complex network of root-like hyphae below the surface. Most fungi are also symbiotic with trees or other plants, sharing nutrients, water and energy.

BBOWT is also concerned about people wandering off footpaths to pick mushrooms, which could damage the wild habitats that nature reserves are designed to protect.

Roger said: "At BBOWT, we aim to protect and restore nature and inspire people about the amazing natural world. We want people to come to our nature reserves and enjoy the wildlife we have there, including all the fantastic rare and unusual species that you won't see at a local park, in farmland or other parts of the countryside.

"We know most people feel exactly the same, and that's why we want to remind people - if you're going to take anything at our nature reserves, make it a photograph, and leave the beautiful wildlife for others to enjoy.

"And if you want to go foraging on other people's land, just check you have permission first. But please – don’t pick mushrooms on BBOWT reserves."