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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/feb/03/foraging-healthy-sustainable-bristol-city-council-ban

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Foraging shouldn’t be forbidden – it’s healthy, sustainable and local Foraging shouldn’t be forbidden – it’s healthy, sustainable and local
(7 months later)
It’s February and the “hungry gap” is officially settling in. This is the period between the last harvest and the bounty of fresh spring produce. Yet if you take a bag or basket with you on a foraging walk, you will still find plenty of edible plants.It’s February and the “hungry gap” is officially settling in. This is the period between the last harvest and the bounty of fresh spring produce. Yet if you take a bag or basket with you on a foraging walk, you will still find plenty of edible plants.
So it’s disappointing to hear that Bristol city council has proposed 34 new bylaws, which include a ban on foraging. The proposed bylaws state: “No person shall without reasonable excuse remove from or displace within the ground any stone, soil or turf or the whole or any part of any plant, shrub or tree.”So it’s disappointing to hear that Bristol city council has proposed 34 new bylaws, which include a ban on foraging. The proposed bylaws state: “No person shall without reasonable excuse remove from or displace within the ground any stone, soil or turf or the whole or any part of any plant, shrub or tree.”
Related: Urban foraging: how to dig for your dinner in the city and suburbs
The council has argued that the bylaws are not meant to stop people from picking berries but rather to prevent damage to plants and other antisocial behaviour. The proposed bylaws, which would affect 212 parks and green spaces, will replace the existing bylaws, which have not been updated since Victorian times. Bristol city council maintains more than 100,000 trees and over 800 acres of woodland. The plans are out for consultation until 20 March.The council has argued that the bylaws are not meant to stop people from picking berries but rather to prevent damage to plants and other antisocial behaviour. The proposed bylaws, which would affect 212 parks and green spaces, will replace the existing bylaws, which have not been updated since Victorian times. Bristol city council maintains more than 100,000 trees and over 800 acres of woodland. The plans are out for consultation until 20 March.
Foraging has seen a revival in recent years. What used to be a niche countryside pursuit is now a hobby for many city dwellers. There are foraging tours and walks being offered in cities across Britain, with growing interest every year. This revival is no surprise given the rise in demand for fresh and local food. Increasingly people want to know where their food comes from, and for those who do not have the space to grow it, especially in urban areas, foraging has become the best way to reconnect with British food.Foraging has seen a revival in recent years. What used to be a niche countryside pursuit is now a hobby for many city dwellers. There are foraging tours and walks being offered in cities across Britain, with growing interest every year. This revival is no surprise given the rise in demand for fresh and local food. Increasingly people want to know where their food comes from, and for those who do not have the space to grow it, especially in urban areas, foraging has become the best way to reconnect with British food.
On my six-minute walk to the local Tesco in south London, I come across rosemary bushes, bay trees and rosehips for tea on a typical February day. In the spring I look forward to picking wild garlic for pesto and for the streets to be adorned with wild elderberry flowers for cordial, cherries for pie in July and blackberries and plums for homemade wine in late August. By autumn I am making puddings with fresh pears and apples and picking sloe berries for gin.On my six-minute walk to the local Tesco in south London, I come across rosemary bushes, bay trees and rosehips for tea on a typical February day. In the spring I look forward to picking wild garlic for pesto and for the streets to be adorned with wild elderberry flowers for cordial, cherries for pie in July and blackberries and plums for homemade wine in late August. By autumn I am making puddings with fresh pears and apples and picking sloe berries for gin.
The proposed Bristol bylaws are in stark contrast with some cities that are actively encouraging people to eat urban-grown food. In the US, Seattle has dedicated seven acres to its first food forest on public land. Food grown there is available to pick and be consumed by anyone who visits the park. Walks, talks and courses about foraging are also available. Fears of residents destroying the forest or taking more than their share are minimal. By creating a space where foraging is encouraged, locals are learning how to both respect nature and enjoy its bounty.The proposed Bristol bylaws are in stark contrast with some cities that are actively encouraging people to eat urban-grown food. In the US, Seattle has dedicated seven acres to its first food forest on public land. Food grown there is available to pick and be consumed by anyone who visits the park. Walks, talks and courses about foraging are also available. Fears of residents destroying the forest or taking more than their share are minimal. By creating a space where foraging is encouraged, locals are learning how to both respect nature and enjoy its bounty.
Foragers, foodies and restaurant owners are concerned that the proposed bylaws will limit or even stop their access to the incredible range of food that can be found in the British landscape. And most foragers know not to take more than they need and strive to leave as little a mark on nature as possible. Damage to trees and theft of entire plants should indeed be prevented, however most of those who forage do so responsibly and know how to pick wild food while still being environmental stewards.Foragers, foodies and restaurant owners are concerned that the proposed bylaws will limit or even stop their access to the incredible range of food that can be found in the British landscape. And most foragers know not to take more than they need and strive to leave as little a mark on nature as possible. Damage to trees and theft of entire plants should indeed be prevented, however most of those who forage do so responsibly and know how to pick wild food while still being environmental stewards.
At a time when food prices are rising and space for growing food is limited, other cities must begin to think of creative ways to increase access to fresh, local and native food. Foraging allows people to reconnect with both food and the environment. For a city with a growing sustainable food culture, the proposed bylaws in Bristol are a far cry from what residents want to see in their city. The council should be creating spaces where a love for British plants can thrive and grow.At a time when food prices are rising and space for growing food is limited, other cities must begin to think of creative ways to increase access to fresh, local and native food. Foraging allows people to reconnect with both food and the environment. For a city with a growing sustainable food culture, the proposed bylaws in Bristol are a far cry from what residents want to see in their city. The council should be creating spaces where a love for British plants can thrive and grow.