DNR Mushrooming

Wow. Just wow.

You know... it not a tree or a walleye. It has a reasonable edible lifespan of less than a week. If you don’t pick it, it’ll be wormy and rotten a few days later.

Talk about a solution in search of a problem.

Not surprised by this, foraging for mushrooms has become very trendy recently. Thousands of newbs entering the forests has wildlife managers anxious I’m sure.

I’ve fished the driftless area for the last 20 years and the amount of people parked at fishing spots going mushroom hunting has noticeably increased in the last few years. I’m fine with them because I’m there to fish.

First, this is a regulation that initially would be implemented only in State Parks. Though I could guess that if deemed successful, would probably expand to other land management designations. This is restricted to the State Parks system to begin with, which makes sense as the State Park system is generally considered the easiest to access, most commonly known, and "safe" to explore because of the maps and information known about the parks. Generally speaking, most people are more familiar with the State Parks then say the Forest System, or even Wildlife Management Areas (WMA), so it makes sense to implement it at State Parks first as that would have the greatest impact in making people aware.

Second, from what I can understand, this regulation is more in line with preventing a Tragedy of the Commons, which basically states that if many people are allowed unfettered access to a resource, and even if individually they voluntarily restrict harvest, the shear number of people would still over-use/harvest the resource. A prime example of this from the past is the over harvest of timber, especially white pine, in Minnesota, or even the bison harvest from the 1800's.

Finally, as a forager myself, I support this investigation into a possible regulation and the regulation itself if it comes to pass. I don't go into State Parks for foraging because of the sheer amount of people that use the system usually decreases the chances of finding mushrooms there. Also, with all the new foragers out there, I have also witnessed more people going off trail, trampling vegetation, possibly going through sensitive areas. And if I can see this, I can only imagine what the State Park Rangers and supervisors are seeing.

I am shocked they haven't proposed to tax it. But give it time.

Mike

Minnesotian: " which basically states that if many people are allowed unfettered access to a resource, and even if individually they voluntarily restrict harvest, the shear number of people would still over-use/harvest the resource. A prime example of this from the past is the over harvest of timber, especially white pine, in Minnesota, or even the bison harvest from the 1800's.

I get the point- but it’s completely different. Nothing is being killed. You cannot “overuse” mushrooms by picking too many. Mushrooms are the “fruit” not the “resource” itself. That’s like saying picking all the raspberries will kill the bush….

Mushrooms sprout up overnight and are gone in a few days whether harvested or not.

Yeah this is crazy. Putting a limit on wild mushrooms lol. Almost feels like make believe.

Grizzlyman: "

Minnesotian: " which basically states that if many people are allowed unfettered access to a resource, and even if individually they voluntarily restrict harvest, the shear number of people would still over-use/harvest the resource. A prime example of this from the past is the over harvest of timber, especially white pine, in Minnesota, or even the bison harvest from the 1800's.

I get the point- but it’s completely different. Nothing is being killed. You cannot “overuse” mushrooms by picking too many. Mushrooms are the “fruit” not the “resource” itself. That’s like saying picking all the raspberries will kill the bush….


Mushrooms sprout up overnight and are gone in a few days whether harvested or not. "

Agreed.

As a morel hunter myself, I never share my favorite spots with anyone.

Grizzlyman: "

Minnesotian: " which basically states that if many people are allowed unfettered access to a resource, and even if individually they voluntarily restrict harvest, the shear number of people would still over-use/harvest the resource. A prime example of this from the past is the over harvest of timber, especially white pine, in Minnesota, or even the bison harvest from the 1800's.

I get the point- but it’s completely different. Nothing is being killed. You cannot “overuse” mushrooms by picking too many. Mushrooms are the “fruit” not the “resource” itself. That’s like saying picking all the raspberries will kill the bush….


Mushrooms sprout up overnight and are gone in a few days whether harvested or not. "

Thank you for the further explanation. And this 10 year study done in Switzerland agrees with you: Mushroom Picking Does Not Impair Future Harvests I guess I learned something new today, thanks!

Looking at that study, I can only conclude that the regulation being floated out there for State Parks is to find a way to limit people going off trail and causing more trampling by reducing the incentive to do so. The study did conclude "Trampling reduced the number of fruiting-bodies and average number of species, but not the total number of species."

This will cost us taxpayers.