Who's taking all the mushrooms? (From Daily Echo)
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Commercial pickers slammed for plundering every edible fungus in part of New Forest
12:00pm Monday 29th October 2012 in News
By Chris Yandell, Chief Reporter, New Forest
Who's taking all the mushrooms?
ONE of Britain’s biggest landowners has condemned commercial pickers who have taken EVERY edible mushroom from one part of the New Forest.
Fungi is often targeted by people who flout Forest by-laws by cashing in on the demand from posh restaurants and food stores.
The amount paid varies from year to year but experts say commercial pickers can expect to pocket at least £20 per kilo.
And now the National Trust has revealed that every edible mushroom has been taken from one of the five sites that it owns in the district.
The latest incident of fungi filching occurred on Bramshaw Common.
National Trust volunteer Roger Newton said: “Not only has every single edible mushroom been taken or cut, leaving just the stalk, but the ground has been badly trampled.
“There is also the danger that someone gathering mushrooms in this quantity could take poisonous varieties, with dire consequences for those eating them.”
The New Forest is home to thousands of species and is regarded as one of the best areas in the UK for fungi.
Demand is said to be exceptionally high this year because the wettest summer for 100 years has created a shortage of wild mushrooms.
Lee Hulin, one of the National Trust’s outdoor rangers, said: “Large-scale harvesting means regular visitors have less chance of seeing these lovely mushrooms.
“This sort of plundering is spoiling enjoyment for everyone.”
Commercial mushroom picking is banned in the Forest. The only person allowed to do it is Brigitte Tee-Hillman, who won a landmark ruling against the Forestry Commission in 2006.
A Commission spokeswoman said the Bramshaw incident was the only one reported so far.
She added: “People picking mushrooms should only take enough for personal consumption.
This means no more than 1.5kg per visit, and no more than half the fruiting bodies of any one species.”
But demand is at a premium because of the wet summer.
Mrs Tee-Hillman said: “It’s been an absolute disaster – the worst year ever.
Mushrooms don’t grow in water. I’ve hardly picked any because there aren’t any to pick except Chicken of the Woods."
Comments(18)
ToastyTea
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12:48pm Mon 29 Oct 12
southy
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1:07pm Mon 29 Oct 12
Shoong
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2:00pm Mon 29 Oct 12
southy wrote:Wow, maybe you should get on to Mr Newton and let him know like you have us, as we were completely in the dark.
Picking the bit of the mushroom that you can see, is only a very small part of the fungi (its just the seed head), the biggest part of the fungi you can not see.
Genius.
Georgem
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2:19pm Mon 29 Oct 12
southy wrote:And?
Picking the bit of the mushroom that you can see, is only a very small part of the fungi (its just the seed head), the biggest part of the fungi you can not see.
The Wickham Man
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2:50pm Mon 29 Oct 12
Cyber__Fug
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2:57pm Mon 29 Oct 12
southy wrote:.... and the award for the most irrelevant post of the day goes to....
Picking the bit of the mushroom that you can see, is only a very small part of the fungi (its just the seed head), the biggest part of the fungi you can not see.
Huffter
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3:21pm Mon 29 Oct 12
om/watch?v=FI6ImQ6gb
FM
Nicole23
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3:30pm Mon 29 Oct 12
Simple reason is the snobs dont like it because there is not much left for them.
I say enjoy natures bounty while it lasts.
freefinker
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3:34pm Mon 29 Oct 12
southy wrote:.. 'seed head'???
Picking the bit of the mushroom that you can see, is only a very small part of the fungi (its just the seed head), the biggest part of the fungi you can not see.
You do realise they reproduce by spores, NOT seeds. Right?
Still, I suppose your inaccuracy is just par for the course when it comes to facts about the living world.
Georgem
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3:39pm Mon 29 Oct 12
Nicole23 wrote:Not sure this is anything to do with snobbery. Yep, perfectly acceptable for us to forage from the land, which is why it's annoying that corporate entities have hogged it all.
Foraging for wild foodstuffs is perfectly acceptable and encouraged in the rest of Europe so why not here?
Simple reason is the snobs dont like it because there is not much left for them.
I say enjoy natures bounty while it lasts.
Mr E
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4:01pm Mon 29 Oct 12
Nicole23 wrote:I have no problem with people foraging for personal use, but once it becomes a commercial operation, its another thing.
Foraging for wild foodstuffs is perfectly acceptable and encouraged in the rest of Europe so why not here?
Simple reason is the snobs dont like it because there is not much left for them.
I say enjoy natures bounty while it lasts.
Fatty x Ford Worker
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4:18pm Mon 29 Oct 12
forest hump
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6:38pm Mon 29 Oct 12
cantthinkofone
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7:19pm Mon 29 Oct 12
freefinker
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7:27pm Mon 29 Oct 12
cantthinkofone wrote:.. they are not to hardy and what with the frost their season is probably over.
Anyone seen any libs? ;-)
Fatty x Ford Worker
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8:50pm Mon 29 Oct 12
Raxx
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7:44am Tue 30 Oct 12
freefinker wrote::-(
cantthinkofone wrote:.. they are not to hardy and what with the frost their season is probably over.
Anyone seen any libs? ;-)
Lockssmart says...
12:04pm Mon 29 Oct 12