Commercial fungi pickers are being told that they are damaging Epping Forest’s delicate wildlife ecology.

The City of London Corporation, which manages the ancient woodland as a registered charity, says mushrooms are being illegally-picked en-masse and sold to restaurants and markets.

Forest bosses warn that animals such as deer rely on fungi as a valuable food source and many rare insect species depend on them for survival.

They say fungi are vital to the health of the site’s one million trees, some of which are up to 1,000 years old, as they protect their roots and provide them with water and vital minerals.

They warned that the picking of fungi, of any quantity, is spoiling visitors’ enjoyment of the autumn spectacle.

Epping Forest is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation and one of the few remaining extensive natural woodlands in southern England.

It is home to a wide range of fungi species, some of which are of national importance. They are protected under Epping Forest byelaws.

The City Corporation has been clamping down on fungi foraging over recent years, issuing fines and prosecuting 27 people since 2014.

In a recent string of prosecutions, one person was caught with a 49kg haul, the equivalent to multiple large black sacks.

Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s Epping Forest and Commons Committee, Graeme Doshi-Smith, said:

“We are urging people not to pick mushrooms in any quantity.

“Their irresponsible actions are damaging the green lungs of London and spoiling the enjoyment of visitors.

“Our job is to protect the future of this ancient woodland which is of national and international conservation importance.

“We will not tolerate criminal activity in Epping Forest and we will take swift action against anyone damaging wildlife and threatening rare species.”

Epping Forest as a registered charity relies on the public for income and donations to protect the People’s Forest.

It receives more than £4m a year from the City of London Corporation to deliver an outstanding environment attracting 4.5 million visits annually.

The City Corporation protects 11,000 acres of green space in London and south east England – including Epping Forest and Burnham Beeches - and over 200 smaller ones in the Square Mile, investing more than £40m a year.

These sites, most of which are charitable trusts, are run at little or no cost to the communities that they serve. They include important wildlife habitats, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, and National Nature Reserves. They are protected from being built on by special legislation.

ENDS

Notes to editors

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK – www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

Kristina Drake| Media Officer, Public Services

City of London Corporation

Kristina.Drake@cityoflondon.gov.uk

M: 07528256363

D: 020 7332 1125