Foraging Politics

Foraging for commercial gain gets a lot of stick from foragers and non-foragers alike. Is it really a problem?

I am regularly challenged about the potential negative impact on nature of foraging for wild plants, fungi and seaweeds. I’m glad of this, because it means people care. But while these concerns are well intended, they are often based on a fundamental misunderstanding of what foraging is.

As foraging grows ever more popular some voices question its impact. How does foraging and wild food fit into a society set on consuming itself?

A wee slip up with a deadly plant got me thinking… How scared should we be of poisoning ourselves with wild plants and fungi? And are we more likely to kill ourselves with things we buy in the shops…?

Habitat destruction through unsustainable farming practices, pollution and urbanisation is infinitely more destructive than an army of foragers could ever be. So why are there so many scare stories in the media?