Rules to follow when picking mushrooms

Perhaps planning to take advantage of the Halloween holiday to pick mushrooms in the forests of Sarthe. An activity that always attracts more amateurs, not always familiar with the applicable instructions. The National Office of Forests (ONF) states that the Civil Code theoretically provides for permission from the owner to pick mushrooms in the forest. In public forests, gathering is allowed but subject to rules.

limited quantity

In the forests of the state, picking must be done”As part of the household consumptionRefers to NFB: No more than 5 liters per person, equivalent to a basket of about 5 kilograms. Beyond that, picking becomes fraudulent.

Controls can occur and can lead to severe penalties:

• Between 5 and 10 liters, the sample is punishable by a fine of 135 euros (Article R163-5 of the Forest Code)
• More than 10 liters, this is an offense punishable by 3 years imprisonment and a fine of 45,000 euros (Articles 311-3 of the Penal Code and L163-11 of the Forest Code)

No pickup on Thursday

In Sarthe, mushrooms are allowed to be harvested every day of the week, by decree of the province”From dawn to dusk“Except on Thursdays. The measure concerns the state forests of Sillé-le-Guillaume, Perseigne and Bercé. It aims to preserve biodiversity.

In general, ONF invites you to familiarize yourself with your rendezvous location. It is forbidden to pick cut young seedlings and rejuvenate because trampling crushes young shoots. It is also forbidden to stop at the checkpoints because access roads must remain free for rescue and forestry work.

NFBB advice

Beyond the regulatory aspects, the National Forestry Office mentions some tips for mushroom pickers.

• Inform your loved ones about your destination : Every year, emergency services step in to find missing catchers
• Beware of mobile applications to identify mushrooms : They are wrong in half the cases, according to the ONF. It is better to seek advice from a specialist, mycologist or pharmacist, especially since cases of poisoning have increased a lot recently.
• Shred the whole mushroom with his foot The foot facilitates accurate identification of fungi. But be careful not to break down the humus by removing large clumps of earth.
• Wear flashy clothes : Do not enter logging areas or hunting areas. Hunting calendars are available for consultation On the NFB website.