Main points
- In Ukraine, it is forbidden to collect mushrooms listed in the Red Book so as not to harm rare species.
- Picking mushrooms in unauthorized places is punishable by fines ranging from 17 to 51 hryvnias for citizens and from 51 to 119 hryvnias for officials.
What mushrooms should not be picked in the forest / Photo Unsplash
Some mushrooms are forbidden to pick in Ukraine. And it's not at all because they are poisonous. We are talking about edible mushrooms.
Why can't some mushrooms be picked?
The fact is that these mushrooms are listed in the Red Book, as reported in the “Danube-Carpathian Program”.
The list of Red Book mushrooms is currently as follows:
- umbrella tin (baranyokha);
- leafy griffon;
- royal catathelasma (korban, pistryak);
- Hericium coral-like;
- Caesar's fly agaric;
- bronze boletus;
- royal boletus;
- maiden boletus;
- ovary dark pink;
- mountain ovary;
- semi-hollow boletus;
- pink-golden lingonberry;
- blood-red cranberry;
- devil's cranberry
Why can't they be collected? According to the information, new mycelium is formed only as a result of the dispersion of spores .
Therefore, the removal or damage of mushroom fruiting bodies causes great harm to populations of rare species, especially those on the verge of extinction,
– explained to the Ukrainians.
Please note! Photos of mushrooms listed in the Red Book can be found on the Program's Facebook page.
At the same time, picking mushrooms in areas where it is prohibited, or where picking mushrooms is only possible with forest tickets, is punishable by law. Olga Brus, a lawyer at EvrikaLaw, said that the punishment is provided for under Article 70 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses.
- For ordinary citizens, the fine for picking mushrooms in an unauthorized place ranges from 17 to 51 hryvnias;
- for officials – from 51 hryvnia to 119 hryvnia.
Important! At the same time, we should not forget that poisonous mushrooms cannot be collected either. We are talking about fly agarics, pale toadstools, etc.
What else should Ukrainians know about mushrooms?
- The most expensive mushrooms in the world can be found in Ukraine. The best conditions for them are those in Transcarpathia. Such mushrooms love mixed forests and moderate humidity.
- At the same time, the first spring mushrooms can already be found. Most often, mushrooms grow on trees or in damp places.