Ashdown Forest calls for tougher measures

It's to protect rare fungi

Ashdown Forest is calling for more prosecutions of illegal commercial foragers to deter the destruction and theft of the Forest’s rare fungi. The call comes as the UK and Chile are proposing at the UN’s biodiversity conference COP16 in Colombia this week that fungi should receive an equal protection status to animals and plants.

The "Fungal Conservation Pledge", aims to establish fungi as an independent and prioritized kingdom of life within global biodiversity agreements. If adopted it could help to conserve and protect fungi living above and below ground.

Fungi are an essential part of the Forests’ ecosystem and play a huge part in its health and sustainability.  Their vast underground structures decompose organic matter to create healthy soil for plants and are a valued resource to some animals too. Mycorrhizal fungi protect trees and other plants by increasing their ability to absorb nutrients and resist infection and even help to recycle carbon from the atmosphere.

Ashdown Forest is home to some incredibly rare fungi including a recently recorded Tiered Tooth fungus (Hericium cirrhatum). This species is on the UK Red List – which is a globally recognised way of identifying the extinction threat.

Countryside Manager Ash Walmsley said: “Last year a member of the public who was visiting the Forest on holiday found this fungus and, thankfully, recognised it and reported back to us. It was the first recorded sighting for Ashdown Forest and a second for East Sussex.”

The location of these rare fungi must be kept a secret as they are extremely vulnerable to commercial picking. Evey Autumn thousands of fungi are stripped out of the Forest by illegal foragers who it is believed either steal to order or who are paid for the edible part of their hauls.

Countryside Manager Ash Walmsley said: We have anecdotal evidence that people are taking large numbers of fungi out of the Forest. We have had reports of individuals loading large bags of fungi into vans. We are concerned that even the inedible and rare species are collected – so of no use to the restaurant trade– but every fungus is essential to the Forest.”

Ash added: “Every year the same areas are targeted, and we see swathes of the Forest stripped of all fungi. It is really upsetting to see areas that were full of mushrooms completely bare.”

Chief Executive Mark Pearson said: “Taking fungi for commercial purposes is illegal under the Theft Act 1968 but the fines are not big enough to deter the foragers. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 makes it illegal to pick any plant or fungi on the red list – with fines of up to £5k per item, six months prison and seizure of equipment. The Forest’s SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) status also protects the fungi population with fines of up to £20k.”

Mark added: “We want our visitors to be able to see and appreciate the amazing variety of weird and wonderful fungi that we have in Ashdown Forest. We are only just starting to understand how important they are to the health and sustainability of other species – and there is still so much to learn. We would ask any visitors to the Forest to report any suspicious activity around fungi picking to our rangers or the police. It is essential that we protect our fungi.”