09/10/2026
This is an interesting one, as the comments under the post show!
As a professional forager and someone with a strong interest in biodiversity and sustainable wild food harvesting, I’d be interested in some clarification on the legal framework behind this announcement.
Section 4(3) of the Theft Act 1968 specifically exempts the gathering of wild fungi for personal consumption from theft offences, although I appreciate this does not override other statutory protections or land access restrictions.
I’m also aware that the National Trust’s own national policy supports sustainable foraging of abundant species on much of its land.
It would be good for them to clarify National Trust National Trust Dartmoor
Dartmoor National Park exactly which Dartmoor sites are covered by this prohibition, whether all are designated SSSIs, and which statutory provisions, byelaws or site-specific restrictions make the collection of common edible fungi unlawful?
I’m particularly interested in whether this is an enforceable legal prohibition or a conservation policy requesting voluntary compliance.
I fully support protecting rare species and sensitive habitats, but I also believe it’s important to distinguish between sustainable traditional foraging, ecological damage and activities that are genuinely prohibited by law.
I’d welcome some clarity, particularly given the long history of responsible wild food gathering on Dartmoor.
