The mushrooms: a heritage of the environment and popular traditions

The regional law

The collection of edible mushrooms is an activity that involves a large number of people every autumn. For some, it is a hobby, for others, it becomes a real fever – in some cases a form of income integration – and sometimes a way to satisfy a scientific curiosity about organisms that belong to a kingdom of their own, different from plants and animals. Venturing into the woods in search of precious sporophores, the scientific term for mushrooms, is a practice that does not harm the environment if done following the rules and some good practices. In the Protected Areas of the Cozie Alps, mushroom picking is allowed with some limitations introduced to safeguard specific ecological balances.

In Piedmont, the collection of mushrooms is regulated by Regional Law No. 24/2007, which, in summary, allows the collection from dawn to dusk of a daily individual quantity not exceeding 3 kg for all those who have the appropriate permit. Few geographical limitations include territories "falling within the protected areas established in accordance with the current regional legislation and the sites forming part of the Natura 2000 network identified by the respective management bodies." From an ecological point of view, the law requires the transport of collected mushrooms "in containers suitable for allowing the dispersion of spores," prohibits collection through "the use of rakes, hooks, or other means that can damage the humus layer of the soil, the fungal mycelium, and the root system," and "the destruction or voluntary damage of the fruiting bodies of any species of spontaneous epigeous fungus, even if not edible or poisonous."

Different environments, different rules

The Parks of the Cozie Alps include 4 regional parks, 2 nature reserves, and 16 sites of the Natura 2000 Network. As each protected area has different habitats and peculiarities, regulations often differ to adapt the rules to the specific ecological features to be protected.

Regarding mushroom picking, the Protected Areas of the Cozie Alps apply the main limitations in the Gran Bosco di Salbertrand Natural Park, where "the collection, removal, damage, or possession of epigeous fungi, even inedible ones, is prohibited, except for the exercise of the right of civic use pertaining to local communities," without leaving the roads and marked trails; and in the Val Troncea Natural Park, where all these activities are prohibited according to the nature plan.

At the same time, in the Orsiera Rocciavré Natural Park, in the Laghi di Avigliana Natural Park, in the Nature Reserves of Orrido di Foresto and Orrido di Chianocco, and in the Natura 2000 sites, there are no further limitations compared to the Regional Law.

Protecting the environment and human activities

“Mushrooms – says Fabio Santo, a surveillance agent in the Laghi di Avigliana Natural Park – help the forest grow, they are a positive presence because they often establish a symbiotic relationship with flora and have a very important role in the process of decomposing living beings into nutrients for vegetation. The ones we collect and eat are actually the fruit that grows from the mycelium, a dense and invisible network of cells that develop in the upper layers of the soil. As an enthusiast mushroom hunter and consumer, I may seem biased, but I think that picking them does not have a particular negative impact on the environment, provided that the dispersion of spores is allowed during transportation. However, we humans somehow establish a competition with other animals that feed on mushrooms: in particular ungulates or mollusks and insects that often manage to feed on even the harmful variants to us.”

The main – not at all easy – mission of a Park Authority is to find a balance between the needs of nature conservation and the needs of the people living within its boundaries, carrying out economic activities there, or enjoying the territory in their spare time. Regarding the issue of mushroom picking, in the Protected Areas of the Cozie Alps, this principle is understood based on a substantial distinction between environments. In those less suitable for the appearance of edible mushrooms, Val Troncea and Gran Bosco di Salbertrand, the ecological dimension is favored as much as possible, leaving the mushrooms available to the animals that feed on them. Instead, in particularly suitable areas, such as numerous areas of Orsiera Rocciavré, an activity deeply rooted in tradition is respected, involving a large number of searchers every year.

Why purchase the permit?

“As a surveillance agent – Santo continues – the fines we most often apply are directed at those who transport mushrooms in containers not suitable for spore dispersion (PET bags), those who do not have the permit for collection, or for collecting well beyond the permitted limit per person per day of 3 kg. It is never pleasant to receive a fine, nor to contest it. For this reason, we also strive to convey the positive message that justifies the rules. From my point of view, the limit of 3 kg that each mushroom picker is authorized to collect each day is mainly related to a principle of fairness: the goal is to allow picking for as many people as possible. Regarding the permit, it should not be perceived as a tax for its own sake because the proceeds that each Authority derives from the sale must be invested in favor of the searchers themselves, namely for “the arrangement and maintenance of wooded areas and the signposting of their pedestrian paths; the promotion and implementation of initiatives aimed at promoting knowledge and respect for fungal species; carrying out surveillance functions of voluntary ecological guards,” as stated by regional law. From this point of view, in recent years, we have increased prevention and surveillance activities in our territories, observing that compliance with the rules has significantly increased among searchers.”

For complete information, the Management Authority of the Protected Areas of the Cozie Alps issues the permit of daily, weekly, annual, biennial, and triennial validity for the entire regional territory. All proceeds from the sale of the permit are regularly reported to the Piedmont Region and used for the maintenance of wooded heritage and trail network within the territories managed by the Park Authority. In particular, with the funds from recent years, informative panels have been installed, and equipment such as a drill, angle grinder, brush cutter, and chainsaw have been purchased, which are regularly used by workers for trail maintenance.