david bangs
2013-10-29 14:35:55 UTC
The email train below takes up the issue of fungus foraging with reference to a series of 'Bioblitz' events organised on National Trust properties, some of which are SSSIs.
Both Vivien Hodge and myself feel that the National Trust's attitude to fungus foraging (see the link in Vivien's piece and its quote from the NT's national wildlife adviser, Matthew Oates) is a dereliction of their duty to conserve our wildlife resources.
Are we right or are we wrong ?
Dave Bangs
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following has been circulated to the membership of the West Weald Fungus Recording Group (WWFRG) and the Surrey Fungus Study Group (SFSG) about the huge impact of mushroom gatherers on Surrey Wildlife Trust's Reserves, where collecting is forbidden:
"From BBC website, 26 October 2013
Rise in fungi theft at Surrey Wildlife Trust reserves 'unprecedented'
Rangers have reported "unprecedented" numbers of people collecting fungi at Surrey Wildlife Trust reserves to sell on to restaurants. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-24660153 "
There was also a brief discussion about over-picking and the huge problems in the New Forest on Countryfile on 20th October. So at least the problem is being aired but not nearly strongly enough. Commercial picking is of course being driven by London and other city's restauranteurs, I know you have previously written to one of the National papers in that regard.
The sheer level of interest in eating fungi is alarming. This was really brought home to me when I manned stands at two different venues for National Fungus Day, one at Birtley Wood Fair for WWFRG and one at Kew Gardens for the SFSG. The same two questions were asked repeatedly throughout both days: can I eat it, is it poisonous? The number of people who bragged about the loads of ceps, giant puffballs and other fungi they routinely collect was shocking. The fact that, largely speaking, the Plant and Animal Kingdoms would collapse without the Fungus Kingdom, seems to be blissfully ignored.
The concern amongst responsible and knowledgeable mycologists was expressed during a day's worth of talks centred around fungal evolution at the Linnaean Society a fortnight ago. Then, last week I travelled up to the British Mycological Society (BMS) autumn foray with two eminent mycologists and chatted to many more, nearly all of whom are as concerned as you and I. Interestingly one of the few I know who openly supports foraging lives in Scotland and has, undoubtedly, not yet seen the impact.
I feel that fungus picking should be banned under the Wildlife and Countryside Act just as the wanton picking and digging up of wildflowers was. It is very sad that the National Trust cannot fully take on board the conservation of the Fungus Kingdom. It would not dream of sanctioning the picking of flowers or egg collecting, both of which activities prevent the natural dispersal of these organisms, just as the collection of fungi does.
There is no such thing as 'responsible foraging', it ignores the need for the dispersal of sexually produced genetic material; it ignores all of the other life forms that live on fungus fruit bodies and those that feed on them. It ignores all other people who might want to simply enjoy the sight of fruiting fungi when out in the countryside.
Foraging does not necessarily lead to a greater interest in fungi and should not be regarded as a legitimate 'pathway' to becoming a responsible mycologist. Even if it were not illegal (for most species) I am sure that no birder in this country would contemplate shooting a few birds before deciding that watching them would be more rewarding, that's what the Victorian did.
Of necessity a few fungus fruit bodies are removed by mycologists to study and correctly identify in order to learn more about their distribution and ultimately apply appropriate conservation measures, but the same populations are not repeatedly depredated.
Mycologists involved with fungus conservation are deeply concerned about the impact of foraging on the genetic diversity of individual fungus species. There is a very real risk of a major depletion in the gene pool of populations of edible fungi and their lookalikes. I cannot help but wonder how many of the far rarer species of, for example, Agaricus and Boletaceae, have been have been collected along with the more frequent ones.
Boletes are at particular risk as they are one group that is easily recognised by collectors but which are not always individually and properly identified in the field. The Joint Nature Conservancy Commiittee (JNCC) has recently published its Species Status Report no. 14 , Red List of Fungi for Great Britain Boletaceae in which it states that "of the 68 accepted GB Boletaceae taxa (66 species and two varieties) assessed, 37 (54%) are now considered to be on the Red List." http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/pdf/SpeciesStatus14_web.pdf
I believe that using Melissa Waddington most certainly does send the wrong message, and I am glad that Graeme will be at Southwick. I was due to help with a students' field study day a couple of weeks ago but cancelled when I saw that I would be sharing the stage with Melissa Waddington. Surely a conservation body such as the National Trust should address the conservation issues of all taxa under its care and should not encourage, indirectly or otherwise, the random destruction of the members of one Kingdom.
These bioblitzes may raise Public awareness about fungi but I do seriously wonder about their value a recording tool. A highly experienced mycologist colleague recently pointed out that fungi simply cannot be 'bioblitzed'. An easily recognisable minority of fungi can be reliably identified in the field, very many more cannot. The latter are often rarer species or microfungi and are simply overlooked.
In conclusion I would urge the National Trust and indeed Sussex Wildlife Trust to ban collection of fungi from all of their sites, to disassociate themselves from known fungus foragers, and certainly not to run any more courses on foraging for fungi.
----- Original Message -----
From: david bangs
To: Vivien Hodge
Sent: Monday, October 28, 2013 4:13 PM
Subject: Fw: complaint re fungus foragers on Southwick Hill
I'd appreciate your thoughts on the email trail below, Vivien,
Dave
----- Original Message -----
From: david bangs
To: Cecil, Jane
Cc: Cain, Charlie ; Wellfare, Graham ; Oates, Matthew ; Scott, Crispin ; Byerley, Gwyneth
Sent: Monday, October 28, 2013 3:03 PM
Subject: Re: complaint re fungus foragers on Southwick Hill
Thanks, Jane.
You have gone some way to reassure me, particularly when you say that the Trust will 'look again' at who leads such events. I appreciate that.
As you say, the Trust has been giving 'mixed messages' here.
The evidence from this forager-leader's own website is damning. The 'codes of conduct' put up there constitute a wholly unsustainable approach, and the picture of her celebrating a collection of large edible morels is chilling and depressing.
What such foraging means is that conservationist-enthusiasts for wild fungi (such as myself) are forced to hide information on wild fungal resources when we would rather involve much greater numbers of folk in celebrating them. I have myself, in the past, been 'told off' - quite correctly - by an expert for revealing the locations of local morels.
There are way over 60 million of us in this country, now, and our collective freedom to enjoy nature and the countryside is only sustainable if we act with the greatest circumspection towards its exploitation.
Foraging for fungal edibles fosters absolutely the wrong culture of countryside use, in that regard...
cheers
Dave Bangs
----- Original Message -----
From: Cecil, Jane
To: david bangs
Cc: Cain, Charlie ; Wellfare, Graham ; Oates, Matthew ; Scott, Crispin ; Byerley, Gwyneth
Sent: Monday, October 28, 2013 11:12 AM
Subject: RE: complaint re fungus foragers on Southwick Hill
Dear Dave,
I've read your response several times and there seems to be one main issue - that we are using someone who is known as a forager to lead a fungi recording session.
I have spoken to a number of people who have been on her sessions and they have all said the same thing - that she actively discourages foraging. There are often two experts on hand because we can identify more species that way and that is the main reason for holding these events - to identify and record the fungi on our sites. However, I can see that using someone who is known as a forager might present mixed messages.
Graham will be attending the session at Southwick and he will be making sure that the message is clear - that fungi should be left for others to enjoy. On that basis - I am not going to cancel the event or change the leader.
We will, however look again at how we promote the events in future and who leads them.
Best wishes
Jane
Jane Cecil
General Manager - South Downs
The National Trust
Estate Office
Top Road
Slindon
West Sussex
BN18 0RG
Mobile: 07900 608206
Desk: 01243 814554
Mobile: 07900 608206
Desk: 01243 814554
From: david bangs [mailto:dave.bangs at virgin.net]
Sent: 24 October 2013 20:32
To: Cecil, Jane
Cc: Cain, Charlie; Wellfare, Graham; Oates, Matthew; Scott, Crispin; Byerley, Gwyneth
Subject: Re: complaint re fungus foragers on Southwick Hill
Hi Jane,
Thanks for the seriousness of your reply.
You repeat, however, the mistaken rationale which has been put to me already in justification for utilising this leader...that she will "discuss the ethics of foraging and its perils ", whereas any leader SHOULD make clear that foraging for fungi is unwanted and damaging (and doubly so on this SSSI-standard site).
I have no doubt that a discussion of the ethics of foraging which is led by a forager will be different from such a discussion led by a non-foraging mycologist.
...And your rationale that she will put folk off foraging by emphasing its perils is disingenuous, because any responsible leader of a public event looking at fungi would emphasise those perils.
That is merely a universal public health obligation.
I am surprised, too, by your statement that there is"normally at least one scientist on hand who is able to identify most species in the field", presumably in addition to the forager-leader. Why, in that case, do you not organise these events with the more skilled taxonomist as leader ? Is it because the NT thinks such scientists lack the charisma of a forager-leader ?...I find it hard to credit that the NT would succumb to such stereotypes of scientists.
The defence of nature is a serious matter...but that doesn't mean that defending it has to be done seriously...
A competent non-foraging fungus expert leader can have lots of laughs, get us excited, enthuse newcomers, and encourage our sense of wonder and stewardship...all without giving credence to any predation of these life forms for self-indulgent exotic snacks.
Most fungal fruit bodies are intermittent in appearance, brief / evanescent / fleeting, and carry in their train a host of dependant life-forms...other fungi, flies and other arthropods, slugs and snails, small mammals, et al. There is no sensible comparison between fungal foraging and foraging for still-abundant wild products, like tree and shrub leaves, abundant or dominant greens (like nettles) or naturally abundant fruits (like blackberries or wilding apples).
I do not think that your letter adds much to this matter, and I urge you to change the event's leader,
best wishes
Dave Bangs
From: Cecil, Jane
To: david bangs
Cc: Cain, Charlie ; Wellfare, Graham ; Oates, Matthew ; Scott, Crispin ; Byerley, Gwyneth
Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2013 1:08 PM
Subject: RE: complaint re fungus foragers on Southwick Hill
Dear Dave,
Thank you very much for your e-mail and for your concern about the fungi assemblage on Southwick and the impact of our events.
Our fungi events and the National Trust's position on fungi recording and foraging were discussed in early 2012 with Matthew Oates and Crispin Scott as our National and Regional Wildlife specialists. They agreed that we could hold a series of Bioblitz events where we would record what species we have on the hills around Saddlescombe. The emphasis is very much on recording the fungi not on taking them.
Melissa, who has been co-ordinating these events, is a forager, and will discuss the ethics of foraging and its perils, during the day. We have had about 100 people on these events since 2012 and they raise people's awareness of the dangers of not knowing what you are eating and so one of the consequences is that the vast majority of people leave the event less confident about identification than they were to start with and with a better appreciation of the beauty of fungi. They are therefore even less likely to pick them.
We have advertised the event via our website http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/devils-dyke/things-to-see-and-do/events/
and a poster that says something similar. I can see that the use of the word "foray" might be misinterpreted but the description of the event is clear and talks about looking for and recording fungi. We should have made it clearer that this event is about appreciating and recording fungi and not about foraging for edible fungi. We will take greater care in how we advertise the events in future to avoid any misunderstandings.
I understand that Melissa has good contacts within the Sussex Fungi group so there is normally at least one scientist on hand who is able to identify most species in the field. If something can't be identified in the field is sometimes taken so that the species can be determined via microscopes, either on the day or back at the mycologist's home. We make the call as to whether this is necessary and Graham has assured me that single fruiting bodies won't be taken.
All five bioblitz events that have taken place have been hugely successful, people have come away with a real sense of awe about this relatively unseen and unknown world. We have also been building up a really good database of information.
I am sorry that you are not able to attend the event but I don't see the need to either cancel it or change its leadership although I have asked Graham to add some additional emphasis on the need for recording and relay your message "that this assemblage is to be loved and cared for and shared intact, so that the next day's users can love it, too".
It would be good to share the results from the events with you and discuss any future events.
Kind regards
Jane
Jane Cecil
General Manager - South Downs
The National Trust
Estate Office
Top Road
Slindon
West Sussex
BN18 0RG
Mobile: 07900 608206
Desk: 01243 814554
Mobile: 07900 608206
Desk: 01243 814554
From: david bangs [mailto:dave.bangs at virgin.net]
Sent: 22 October 2013 11:51
To: Cecil, Jane
Cc: Cain, Charlie; Wellfare, Graham; Oates, Matthew; Scott, Crispin
Subject: complaint re fungus foragers on Southwick Hill
Dear Jane,
I wish to formally object and complain about the planned NT 'bioblitz' public event on Southwick Hill on 1st November to be led by a fungus forager, Melissa Waddingham.
Southwick Hill is the best archaic grassland fungus site known at present on the Brighton urban fringe. It has a superb assemblage of old meadow 'CHEG' group waxcap and allied fungi as well as much more obvious larger fungi, including many edibles like Giant Puffball and other puffballs, mushroom species, and Blue Leg Blewit.
This asemblage is by no means fully known, and I am pleased that the NT wishes to more comprehensively survey the resource. However, to entangle this legitimate survey activity with any kind of fungal foraging is to give wholly the wrong message to members of the public.
It puts at greater risk key charismatic parts of that assemblage, particulary those larger at-risk edibles like Giant Puffball and edible mushroom species.
I cannot over-emphasise how at-risk those species are at present. Giant Puffball gets trashed and taken, and other species are taken and wilfully broken.
The only responsible message to give the Hill's users is that this assemblage is to be loved and cared for and shared intact, so that the next day's users can love it, too. This is all doubly true for a heavily used urban fringe site like Southwick Hill which is of SSSI standard. We should be giving a clear, strong message that culinary fungi are best bought in shops and grown at home.
It has been put to me that we need to tell people about the culinary qualities of wild fungi as part of the 'draw' to get them back close to nature. This is simply not true. A good educator can convey passion and love for these life forms WITHOUT the need to resort to endorsing damaging practices.
It has also been put to me that the forgerer-leader of this event will talk responsibly about foraging and is likely to put people off some foraging of edibles. Yet any forager will wish to defend the notion of 'responsible' foraging, to defend their core business, and such notions of 'responsible' foraging are bound, at best, to convey ambivalence - a dangerous double message - when what is needed is simple, defensible, principled clarity.
I cannot attend this event and discourage others from doing so. It should be cancelled or transferred to the leadership of a non-forager mycologist.
You will find no shortage of those,
Dave Bangs
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Both Vivien Hodge and myself feel that the National Trust's attitude to fungus foraging (see the link in Vivien's piece and its quote from the NT's national wildlife adviser, Matthew Oates) is a dereliction of their duty to conserve our wildlife resources.
Are we right or are we wrong ?
Dave Bangs
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From Vivien Hodge (West Weald Fungus Recording Group - personal capacity).
I agree with you 100%. I disagree with collecting for the pot, it might have been acceptable when our population was a quarter of its current size but it cannot possibly be sustainable with such a vast population and so little wildlife habitat left in the UK, especially here in the South East. Commercial mushroom theft in particular should be dealt with in the courts in the same way as any other form of theft. Apparently the Corporation of London have already made several prosecutions over mushroom theft from Epping Forest.The following has been circulated to the membership of the West Weald Fungus Recording Group (WWFRG) and the Surrey Fungus Study Group (SFSG) about the huge impact of mushroom gatherers on Surrey Wildlife Trust's Reserves, where collecting is forbidden:
"From BBC website, 26 October 2013
Rise in fungi theft at Surrey Wildlife Trust reserves 'unprecedented'
Rangers have reported "unprecedented" numbers of people collecting fungi at Surrey Wildlife Trust reserves to sell on to restaurants. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-24660153 "
There was also a brief discussion about over-picking and the huge problems in the New Forest on Countryfile on 20th October. So at least the problem is being aired but not nearly strongly enough. Commercial picking is of course being driven by London and other city's restauranteurs, I know you have previously written to one of the National papers in that regard.
The sheer level of interest in eating fungi is alarming. This was really brought home to me when I manned stands at two different venues for National Fungus Day, one at Birtley Wood Fair for WWFRG and one at Kew Gardens for the SFSG. The same two questions were asked repeatedly throughout both days: can I eat it, is it poisonous? The number of people who bragged about the loads of ceps, giant puffballs and other fungi they routinely collect was shocking. The fact that, largely speaking, the Plant and Animal Kingdoms would collapse without the Fungus Kingdom, seems to be blissfully ignored.
The concern amongst responsible and knowledgeable mycologists was expressed during a day's worth of talks centred around fungal evolution at the Linnaean Society a fortnight ago. Then, last week I travelled up to the British Mycological Society (BMS) autumn foray with two eminent mycologists and chatted to many more, nearly all of whom are as concerned as you and I. Interestingly one of the few I know who openly supports foraging lives in Scotland and has, undoubtedly, not yet seen the impact.
I feel that fungus picking should be banned under the Wildlife and Countryside Act just as the wanton picking and digging up of wildflowers was. It is very sad that the National Trust cannot fully take on board the conservation of the Fungus Kingdom. It would not dream of sanctioning the picking of flowers or egg collecting, both of which activities prevent the natural dispersal of these organisms, just as the collection of fungi does.
There is no such thing as 'responsible foraging', it ignores the need for the dispersal of sexually produced genetic material; it ignores all of the other life forms that live on fungus fruit bodies and those that feed on them. It ignores all other people who might want to simply enjoy the sight of fruiting fungi when out in the countryside.
Foraging does not necessarily lead to a greater interest in fungi and should not be regarded as a legitimate 'pathway' to becoming a responsible mycologist. Even if it were not illegal (for most species) I am sure that no birder in this country would contemplate shooting a few birds before deciding that watching them would be more rewarding, that's what the Victorian did.
Of necessity a few fungus fruit bodies are removed by mycologists to study and correctly identify in order to learn more about their distribution and ultimately apply appropriate conservation measures, but the same populations are not repeatedly depredated.
Mycologists involved with fungus conservation are deeply concerned about the impact of foraging on the genetic diversity of individual fungus species. There is a very real risk of a major depletion in the gene pool of populations of edible fungi and their lookalikes. I cannot help but wonder how many of the far rarer species of, for example, Agaricus and Boletaceae, have been have been collected along with the more frequent ones.
Boletes are at particular risk as they are one group that is easily recognised by collectors but which are not always individually and properly identified in the field. The Joint Nature Conservancy Commiittee (JNCC) has recently published its Species Status Report no. 14 , Red List of Fungi for Great Britain Boletaceae in which it states that "of the 68 accepted GB Boletaceae taxa (66 species and two varieties) assessed, 37 (54%) are now considered to be on the Red List." http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/pdf/SpeciesStatus14_web.pdf
I believe that using Melissa Waddington most certainly does send the wrong message, and I am glad that Graeme will be at Southwick. I was due to help with a students' field study day a couple of weeks ago but cancelled when I saw that I would be sharing the stage with Melissa Waddington. Surely a conservation body such as the National Trust should address the conservation issues of all taxa under its care and should not encourage, indirectly or otherwise, the random destruction of the members of one Kingdom.
These bioblitzes may raise Public awareness about fungi but I do seriously wonder about their value a recording tool. A highly experienced mycologist colleague recently pointed out that fungi simply cannot be 'bioblitzed'. An easily recognisable minority of fungi can be reliably identified in the field, very many more cannot. The latter are often rarer species or microfungi and are simply overlooked.
In conclusion I would urge the National Trust and indeed Sussex Wildlife Trust to ban collection of fungi from all of their sites, to disassociate themselves from known fungus foragers, and certainly not to run any more courses on foraging for fungi.
----- Original Message -----
From: david bangs
To: Vivien Hodge
Sent: Monday, October 28, 2013 4:13 PM
Subject: Fw: complaint re fungus foragers on Southwick Hill
I'd appreciate your thoughts on the email trail below, Vivien,
Dave
----- Original Message -----
From: david bangs
To: Cecil, Jane
Cc: Cain, Charlie ; Wellfare, Graham ; Oates, Matthew ; Scott, Crispin ; Byerley, Gwyneth
Sent: Monday, October 28, 2013 3:03 PM
Subject: Re: complaint re fungus foragers on Southwick Hill
Thanks, Jane.
You have gone some way to reassure me, particularly when you say that the Trust will 'look again' at who leads such events. I appreciate that.
As you say, the Trust has been giving 'mixed messages' here.
The evidence from this forager-leader's own website is damning. The 'codes of conduct' put up there constitute a wholly unsustainable approach, and the picture of her celebrating a collection of large edible morels is chilling and depressing.
What such foraging means is that conservationist-enthusiasts for wild fungi (such as myself) are forced to hide information on wild fungal resources when we would rather involve much greater numbers of folk in celebrating them. I have myself, in the past, been 'told off' - quite correctly - by an expert for revealing the locations of local morels.
There are way over 60 million of us in this country, now, and our collective freedom to enjoy nature and the countryside is only sustainable if we act with the greatest circumspection towards its exploitation.
Foraging for fungal edibles fosters absolutely the wrong culture of countryside use, in that regard...
cheers
Dave Bangs
----- Original Message -----
From: Cecil, Jane
To: david bangs
Cc: Cain, Charlie ; Wellfare, Graham ; Oates, Matthew ; Scott, Crispin ; Byerley, Gwyneth
Sent: Monday, October 28, 2013 11:12 AM
Subject: RE: complaint re fungus foragers on Southwick Hill
Dear Dave,
I've read your response several times and there seems to be one main issue - that we are using someone who is known as a forager to lead a fungi recording session.
I have spoken to a number of people who have been on her sessions and they have all said the same thing - that she actively discourages foraging. There are often two experts on hand because we can identify more species that way and that is the main reason for holding these events - to identify and record the fungi on our sites. However, I can see that using someone who is known as a forager might present mixed messages.
Graham will be attending the session at Southwick and he will be making sure that the message is clear - that fungi should be left for others to enjoy. On that basis - I am not going to cancel the event or change the leader.
We will, however look again at how we promote the events in future and who leads them.
Best wishes
Jane
Jane Cecil
General Manager - South Downs
The National Trust
Estate Office
Top Road
Slindon
West Sussex
BN18 0RG
Mobile: 07900 608206
Desk: 01243 814554
Mobile: 07900 608206
Desk: 01243 814554
From: david bangs [mailto:dave.bangs at virgin.net]
Sent: 24 October 2013 20:32
To: Cecil, Jane
Cc: Cain, Charlie; Wellfare, Graham; Oates, Matthew; Scott, Crispin; Byerley, Gwyneth
Subject: Re: complaint re fungus foragers on Southwick Hill
Hi Jane,
Thanks for the seriousness of your reply.
You repeat, however, the mistaken rationale which has been put to me already in justification for utilising this leader...that she will "discuss the ethics of foraging and its perils ", whereas any leader SHOULD make clear that foraging for fungi is unwanted and damaging (and doubly so on this SSSI-standard site).
I have no doubt that a discussion of the ethics of foraging which is led by a forager will be different from such a discussion led by a non-foraging mycologist.
...And your rationale that she will put folk off foraging by emphasing its perils is disingenuous, because any responsible leader of a public event looking at fungi would emphasise those perils.
That is merely a universal public health obligation.
I am surprised, too, by your statement that there is"normally at least one scientist on hand who is able to identify most species in the field", presumably in addition to the forager-leader. Why, in that case, do you not organise these events with the more skilled taxonomist as leader ? Is it because the NT thinks such scientists lack the charisma of a forager-leader ?...I find it hard to credit that the NT would succumb to such stereotypes of scientists.
The defence of nature is a serious matter...but that doesn't mean that defending it has to be done seriously...
A competent non-foraging fungus expert leader can have lots of laughs, get us excited, enthuse newcomers, and encourage our sense of wonder and stewardship...all without giving credence to any predation of these life forms for self-indulgent exotic snacks.
Most fungal fruit bodies are intermittent in appearance, brief / evanescent / fleeting, and carry in their train a host of dependant life-forms...other fungi, flies and other arthropods, slugs and snails, small mammals, et al. There is no sensible comparison between fungal foraging and foraging for still-abundant wild products, like tree and shrub leaves, abundant or dominant greens (like nettles) or naturally abundant fruits (like blackberries or wilding apples).
I do not think that your letter adds much to this matter, and I urge you to change the event's leader,
best wishes
Dave Bangs
From: Cecil, Jane
To: david bangs
Cc: Cain, Charlie ; Wellfare, Graham ; Oates, Matthew ; Scott, Crispin ; Byerley, Gwyneth
Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2013 1:08 PM
Subject: RE: complaint re fungus foragers on Southwick Hill
Dear Dave,
Thank you very much for your e-mail and for your concern about the fungi assemblage on Southwick and the impact of our events.
Our fungi events and the National Trust's position on fungi recording and foraging were discussed in early 2012 with Matthew Oates and Crispin Scott as our National and Regional Wildlife specialists. They agreed that we could hold a series of Bioblitz events where we would record what species we have on the hills around Saddlescombe. The emphasis is very much on recording the fungi not on taking them.
Melissa, who has been co-ordinating these events, is a forager, and will discuss the ethics of foraging and its perils, during the day. We have had about 100 people on these events since 2012 and they raise people's awareness of the dangers of not knowing what you are eating and so one of the consequences is that the vast majority of people leave the event less confident about identification than they were to start with and with a better appreciation of the beauty of fungi. They are therefore even less likely to pick them.
We have advertised the event via our website http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/devils-dyke/things-to-see-and-do/events/
and a poster that says something similar. I can see that the use of the word "foray" might be misinterpreted but the description of the event is clear and talks about looking for and recording fungi. We should have made it clearer that this event is about appreciating and recording fungi and not about foraging for edible fungi. We will take greater care in how we advertise the events in future to avoid any misunderstandings.
I understand that Melissa has good contacts within the Sussex Fungi group so there is normally at least one scientist on hand who is able to identify most species in the field. If something can't be identified in the field is sometimes taken so that the species can be determined via microscopes, either on the day or back at the mycologist's home. We make the call as to whether this is necessary and Graham has assured me that single fruiting bodies won't be taken.
All five bioblitz events that have taken place have been hugely successful, people have come away with a real sense of awe about this relatively unseen and unknown world. We have also been building up a really good database of information.
I am sorry that you are not able to attend the event but I don't see the need to either cancel it or change its leadership although I have asked Graham to add some additional emphasis on the need for recording and relay your message "that this assemblage is to be loved and cared for and shared intact, so that the next day's users can love it, too".
It would be good to share the results from the events with you and discuss any future events.
Kind regards
Jane
Jane Cecil
General Manager - South Downs
The National Trust
Estate Office
Top Road
Slindon
West Sussex
BN18 0RG
Mobile: 07900 608206
Desk: 01243 814554
Mobile: 07900 608206
Desk: 01243 814554
From: david bangs [mailto:dave.bangs at virgin.net]
Sent: 22 October 2013 11:51
To: Cecil, Jane
Cc: Cain, Charlie; Wellfare, Graham; Oates, Matthew; Scott, Crispin
Subject: complaint re fungus foragers on Southwick Hill
Dear Jane,
I wish to formally object and complain about the planned NT 'bioblitz' public event on Southwick Hill on 1st November to be led by a fungus forager, Melissa Waddingham.
Southwick Hill is the best archaic grassland fungus site known at present on the Brighton urban fringe. It has a superb assemblage of old meadow 'CHEG' group waxcap and allied fungi as well as much more obvious larger fungi, including many edibles like Giant Puffball and other puffballs, mushroom species, and Blue Leg Blewit.
This asemblage is by no means fully known, and I am pleased that the NT wishes to more comprehensively survey the resource. However, to entangle this legitimate survey activity with any kind of fungal foraging is to give wholly the wrong message to members of the public.
It puts at greater risk key charismatic parts of that assemblage, particulary those larger at-risk edibles like Giant Puffball and edible mushroom species.
I cannot over-emphasise how at-risk those species are at present. Giant Puffball gets trashed and taken, and other species are taken and wilfully broken.
The only responsible message to give the Hill's users is that this assemblage is to be loved and cared for and shared intact, so that the next day's users can love it, too. This is all doubly true for a heavily used urban fringe site like Southwick Hill which is of SSSI standard. We should be giving a clear, strong message that culinary fungi are best bought in shops and grown at home.
It has been put to me that we need to tell people about the culinary qualities of wild fungi as part of the 'draw' to get them back close to nature. This is simply not true. A good educator can convey passion and love for these life forms WITHOUT the need to resort to endorsing damaging practices.
It has also been put to me that the forgerer-leader of this event will talk responsibly about foraging and is likely to put people off some foraging of edibles. Yet any forager will wish to defend the notion of 'responsible' foraging, to defend their core business, and such notions of 'responsible' foraging are bound, at best, to convey ambivalence - a dangerous double message - when what is needed is simple, defensible, principled clarity.
I cannot attend this event and discourage others from doing so. It should be cancelled or transferred to the leadership of a non-forager mycologist.
You will find no shortage of those,
Dave Bangs
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