Foraging and using local ingredients have become popular on social media, but people involved say rising food prices, limited public understanding and the impact on wildlife are also shaping the trend. They urge foragers to take only what they need, seek permission and consider leaving nature undisturbed.
Growing interest in local ingredients
John Dobson, of Reflectory restaurant near Agborough, said he believed factors beyond social media were driving interest in foraging.
“The price of ingredients has gone up and I think it’s encouraging people to go out and get things from other places because they’re so expensive,” he said. “There’s also a lack of education about the impact of that.”
Mr Dobson said he foraged responsibly, taking only a third of what he found and acting with permission from landowners.
Enjoying nature without taking it home
Mr Middleton said foraging was a good way to connect with nature, but encouraged people to enjoy the forest without removing anything.
“We have come a long way since the Victorian era in capturing everything we see, fixing it, and enclosing it with nets,” he said.
“Now we are in the age of technology. Just by using your mobile phone, you can take great photos. Especially in protected areas, you can see them without touching them.”
Considering wildlife
“That’s always an issue,” said Rachel Lambert, a Penzance-based hunter-gatherer, wild food guide and founder of Wild Walk South West.
“One of the basic rules, guidelines for foraging, is to consider who else is foraging in the area, and that includes all non-human creatures, including the wildlife in the area.”
She said people should take only what they needed and select only species that were abundant.
She added that foraging “takes time” and that people needed to think about their impact on nature.
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Source: www.bbc.co.uk
