Epping Forest: Wildlife and trees 'under threat' from mushroom picking operations The fungi is a valuable food source for insects and animals, and protects the roots of more than one million trees.

Image: Epping Forest straddles London and Essex

An ancient woodland and its native wildlife are under threat from large-scale mushroom picking operations to supply restaurants and markets, the owner of the land has warned.

The City of London Corporation says Epping Forest is being stripped of its wild mushrooms by large-scale foraging, depriving hundreds of insect species and animals such as deer of a valuable food source.

Also said to be under threat are the more than one million trees themselves, including beech and oak, which rely on types of fungus to protect their roots.

Image: The forest is one of the richest fungal sites in the UK

The mushrooms are being picked despite being protected under local laws, as they are a major reason why the forest has protected status - including as a site of special scientific interest and a special area of conservation.

It means those responsible could be fined or prosecuted, following in the footsteps of 18 people who have ended up facing legal action for foraging in the forest since 2014.


The most recent pursuit of legal action against foragers came after a mushroom haul weighing a whopping 49kg was seized from the forest, which straddles London and Essex.

More minor offences have been met with verbal warnings from forest rangers, but they do not seem to be having the desired effect and the landowner has said those who continue to ignore the by-laws are putting the forest at risk.

Image: One of the mushroom hauls recently seized

Graeme Doshi-Smith, chairman of the corporation's Epping Forest and Commons Committee, said: "Fungi play an incredibly important role in the delicate balance of biodiversity which makes Epping Forest special.

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"We welcome the millions of people who come to enjoy this protected site. But I urge our visitors to leave the fungi how they find them - untouched.

"Our job is to protect this ancient woodland for everyone to enjoy. Hoovering up fungi on such a large scale is ecologically damaging and is simply unsustainable."