Crater Lake National Park rangers seized 234 pounds of morel mushrooms illegally harvested from the park over the Fourth of July weekend in 2016.

(Photo courtesy of Crater Lake National Park)

Morel mushrooms are safe to eat, but harvesting them from the wild can still get you into trouble.

Rangers at Crater Lake National Park have seized 234 pounds of morels harvested illegally from the park over the Fourth of July Weekend, park officials announced Monday. Law enforcement officials have contacted dozens of suspects in the crime.

"We are thankful for the assistance of neighboring law enforcement agencies and want to remind the public that mushroom harvesting is not permitted anywhere in Crater Lake National Park," chief ranger Kean Mihata said in a press release. "Help us keep this place intact so that ecological processes can play out naturally here. These processes are part of what makes the park special."

Mushroom hunting is illegal in national parks, but is allowed in some areas of national forest. Harvesters can gather up to 5 gallons of mushrooms for personal use without a permit. Collection of more than 5 gallons requires a 21-day commercial permit.

The area around Crater Lake has been ideal for mushroom growth since the National Creek Complex fire in 2015, which burned more than 20,000 acres in the park and adjacent Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest.

Morel spores by the millions can live underground until conditions - like a wildfire - are just right. The spores can start fruiting three weeks after a fire, lasting up to two years in the area. The nutrient-dense mushrooms are vital for the recovering ecosystem, park officials said, forming partnerships with plant species and providing food for wildlife.

The mushrooms are also popular among humans. Morels can fetch up to $20 a pound on the retail market, making a nice payday for mushroom hunters after a fire. The mushrooms seized at Crater Lake have an estimated value of $7,944.

--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB