Foraging with Leave No Trace
Foraging can be a fun activity for folks of all ages. Here are our tips on how to get started sustainably without hurting yourself or the environment!
🍄 Research sustainable harvesting methods for any plant before collecting it
🤓 Know local regulations for the area
✂️Take only what you will use
🌱 Forage for invasive species
🥾Step on durable surfaces when you go off trail, like pine duff, rock or mud
🥤Forage for litter while you’re out
✅ When in doubt, leave it!
It’s important to realize that foraging is not allowed everywhere or to everyone, and where it is permitted, foraging is often restricted or requires a permit. For example, except for enrolled members in federally recognized tribes with collection permits, collecting and foraging are prohibited in national parks and wildlife refuges.
Traditional gathering by Indigenous communities takes place on many public lands and is a tradition that should be respected. Such gathering is done for many reasons – religious, cultural, or ceremonial – and offers a window into the deep connection many communities have to the land. Respect native and local communities and their relationship to the land. Understanding the local rules and regulations before setting out is an absolutely essential part of Leave No Trace foraging.
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