Call for regulations around mushroom picking after wildfire burns
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CHILLIWACK — A B.C forest ecologist says it may be time for the province to revisit the idea of regulating wild mushroom picking after foragers came into conflict with a First Nations community in the Shuswap.
Andy MacKinnon says B-C had decided to forego any licence requirements for mushroom picking but increasing wildfires may create more friction between groups for post-fire crops.
MacKinnon says morel mushrooms thrive in the first year on land scorched by fire, and climate change may create more blazes and crops that attract foragers.
The Skwlax te Secwepemculecw (‘SQUALL-lax tuh shuh-‘SWEP-im-‘KOO-loo) First Nation says foragers on Nation land have left garbage, killed wildlife and cut down trees, as well as one case of threat of physical violence and intimidation toward community members.
