Foraging has been an integral activity of human culture for thousands of years. Early hunter-gatherers fished, hunted, and gathered wild plants long before the agricultural domestication of crops and livestock. Today, people replicate this ancient practice for a variety of reasons, including a desire to connect with nature; escape technology-driven culture; craft medicinals for health; enjoy unique plant varieties to eat; supplement their diet on a low-income; and more.
What is Foraging?
Foraging is defined as the harvesting of plants and foods that grow spontaneously in the wild for food and other purposes. Another word for foraging is wildcrafting, which is often associated with harvesting plants for medicinal or cosmetic purposes, natural dyes, and craft items. People forage (with or without permission) from their own backyards, neighbors’ yards, local parks, hunting grounds, business landscapes, farms, community gardens, abandoned fields, national parks, and more. You might even see locally grown foraged offerings like truffles, chickweed, miner’s lettuce, wild leeks, and stinging nettles on menus at high-end restaurants like Chez Panisse. Economically disadvantaged people may forage for nutritional plants when they can’t afford to buy expensive produce.
Legalities of Foraging
While hunting or fishing are tightly regulated and require permits, foraging is often done under the radar. The legality of foraging In the State of California is tricky to decipher and often hard to enforce. Picking plants on private property without permission is trespassing and obviously a no-no, and there are many restrictions on foraging on public lands; California fines can be as high as $1,000. Salt Point State Park, in Sonoma County, is the only state park where mushroom foraging is permitted. Foraging for mushrooms, fruits, and nuts in other state parks, national forests, and public lands is generally not permitted in California, although exceptions are made when it’s for personal, non-commercial use, and serious foragers do obtain necessary permits.
If you’ve ever picked wildflowers or other plant and wondered “Can I Keep This?” check out restrictions from the U.S. Dept. of the Interior Bureau of Land Management.
Ethical Foraging
Gathering uncultivated foods for your own use is akin to helping yourself to part of a plant community that may also be the “larder” of local wildlife; it’s important to pick only what you need and not over-harvest. Responsible foragers prioritize maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Thoughtful harvesting of wild plants involves taking only a portion of fruit, flowers, or branches while leaving the living plant intact. One guideline is the “rule of thirds,” which suggests not foraging more than 1/3 of a plant species at a certain locale or more than 1/3 of an individual plant (such as the berries from one bush). One should never harvest from a nature preserve or conservation area that protects wildlife or wild plant life. Gathering should be done gently and with as little damage to the plant and surrounding environment as possible. Another sustainable practice is allowing the oldest and largest plants to remain since their genes are the hardiest and most successful and should be left to reproduce. Some species of plants have been over-foraged and should be avoided, such as arnica and ginseng, whereas others are abundant and “grow like weeds,” such as blackberries and dandelions. United Plant Savers maintains a database on medicinal plant conservation.
Some modern-day foragers try to replicate practices of the past. Historically, California Native Americans selectively picked plants during specific times of the year in order to maintain balance in the ecosystem and stimulate growth in the natural world. Irresponsible foraging is unsustainable and detrimental to lands when large amounts of non-abundant wild plants are removed.
Is Foraging Safe?
Misidentification of wild plants can lead to severe illness or even death. Inexperienced collectors need to take foraging very seriously when it comes to ingesting wild plants for food or medicinal purposes. All research on foraging emphasizes the importance of being completely sure about the safety of a plant before consuming it. Some plants might cause mild stomach upset or skin irritation, while others can be downright dangerous. Mushrooms in particular are known for being potentially hazardous to health, even if they are delicious to eat. There are species of poisonous mushrooms that mimic non-poisonous mushrooms in appearance, and to the less trained eye this could prove fatal. There are also instances of travelers or expats who foraged plants that were safe in their native country but the lookalike plant they forage in their new country are actually poisonous, which can have dire outcomes. Bottom line, foragers should be 100% sure of their haul before eating it or using it topically. Even the experienced foraging community follows golden rules like “Don’t eat what you don’t know,” and “Don’t munch on a hunch.”
More tips on responsible foraging….
Distinguishing native plants from non-native plants (which are bad for the ecosystem) is also important. Foragers should minimize spreading seeds from non-native plants by not picking them to begin with. Avoiding agricultural fields, industrial, high traffic areas, and railroad beds is wise because plants around these areas may be laced with heavy metals, animal fecal matter, or toxic chemicals. It’s always a good idea to avoid roadside plants that are within 30 to 50 feet of car exhaust. Of course, it’s common sense to thoroughly rinse any harvested plant with water and possibly also with produce cleaner or vinegar solution. Asking a neighbor or private landowner for permission to forage first is an important courtesy, as is finding out whether the plants you are foraging have been treated with toxic pesticides.
Should You Forage?
With all these caveats, you may feel foraging on your own is too risky. Luckily, there are foraging experts in the field – literally! – who offer workshops on how to forage properly and responsibly. ForageSF is a huge resource for classes, walks, cooking classes, and more. Also check out these foraging instructors by state.
The book The Skillful Forager: Essential Techniques for Responsible Foraging and Making the Most of Your Wild Edibles provides effective tips for identifying over 40 wild edibles commonly found across North America and tells readers how to harvest, preserve, and prepare them.
Check out more excellent books and field guides on foraging HERE.
Sources and further reading:
https://www.blm.gov/Learn/Can-I-Keep-This
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-36/chapter-I/part-2/section-2.1
https://www.fourseasonforaging.com/blog/2019/3/19/foraging-legality
https://time.com/archive/6597323/into-the-woods/
https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5344082.pdf
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