How nature’s larder is depleted by foraging

Neil Blessitt says we should be more thoughtful about the impact on the food supply for wildlife

Every time we forage, we damage the habitat and food supply for wildlife that is already under pressure from humans and climate change (Excessive foraging for wild garlic and mushrooms in UK ‘a risk to wildlife’ 13 May).

I live on the edge of parkland in Bristol. This is a great resource for people and wildlife, particularly since more of the space has been allowed to rewild. However, it is a finite resource.

For local wildlife – foxes, badgers, birds and insects – the park is their home and their larder. Each time I pick a blackberry, which I confess to doing, I’m depleting this larder. My wife and I have witnessed the wholesale clearing of sloes, damsons, wild garlic and elderflowers.

If foraging can help control Japanese knotweed, that’s welcome, but otherwise we should be more thoughtful about the impact of our plundering.

As for commercial-scale foraging, I’m put in mind of commercial whaling and the wild fur trade. Look where those activities took us.
Neil Blessitt
Bristol

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