Disclaimer
When foraging for wild food, you must be able to correctly identify what you are picking, otherwise you should not eat it. Never eat any wild food without multiple sources of positive identification – do not eat any wild plants or mushrooms just from viewing this website. SOME WILD PLANTS AND MUSHROOMS IN THE UK ARE DEADLY POISONOUS. You use the content in this website at your own risk.
With regards to UK and Local Bylaws that affect foraging.
It is illegal to dig up any kind of root growing anywhere in the UK unless you have the landowner’s permission; you are not allowed to uproot anything you may be picking from either.
Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act and the Theft Act it is illegal to pick wild food from anwhere in the UK to sell it unless you have the landowner’s permission.
You are allowed to harvest fungi (if not protected), fruit, leaves and foliage and flowers for your own consumption from most common land, but check local bylaws first and make sure you have the permission of the landowner if you are on private property. For a forager this means making sure you research the areas you go to thoroughly and read any available signs.
It is not legal to forage on any cultivated area such as farm land or orchards unless with the owner’s permission.
Use common sense and have respect for the plants and the area you are picking in!
Click here for a list of protected UK Fungi species : Protected Fungi
Nothing in this website encourages you to contravene any of these laws. They are there for the good of the plants we all love.
