In the Garden: Responsible Foraging

If you are inspired to forage after hearing the words and work of Joanna Game, interviewed in episode 7 of Garden People, here is some guidance on how to do so responsibly. These tips do not touch on the broader conversations about stewardship raised by large scale commercial wildcrafting and foraging.

First and foremost: respect nature and always act with care. If you don’t know much about the rules in your area (what you can pick, when, where, how much) then LEAVE IT BE.

• Express gratitude to the earth for what you are about to take.

• Take only as much as you are able to use and let nothing go to waste. In Joanna’s case, this is one branch, a few stems of flowers.

• Many countries have existing laws to prevent overharvesting. Check to see what is allowed in your area before you take anything — there will be species limits, seasonal limits, and amounts that are all designed to protect these plants (and you) for the long term.

• Don’t take the whole plant or a significant portion that could cause damage. Instead, take secateurs to snip flowers, leaving the roots intact.

• Ask for permission before taking something on private land.

• Only pick species that are growing in abundance — a good rule of thumb is the 1-in-20 rule: only harvest one plant in 20, or never harvest more than 5% of a particular plant.

• Never take something that you can’t identify. This protects the plants and you.

• Avoid trampling on other species — the site where you forage should look the same after your visit.

• Harvest moss and lichens without damaging the tree’s bark. Found branches are better.

• Last: don’t harvest plants that are invasive to your area. Doing so can spread the seed and other plant parts.
  

All photos by Jill Sowards unless otherwise noted. Reprinted only with permission.