Every spring, mushroom harvesters descend on Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park (NHP) in search of a spongy delicacy—the morel mushroom. Morel harvesting has been a tradition of local residents since before the park was established. Recently some harvesters have reported fewer morels available, which is one reason why researchers will be examining morel harvesting in the C&O Canal NHP and Catoctin Mountain Park this season. C&O Canal NHP Resource Management Specialist Marie Sauter will be helping to conduct the study to find the reasons for fewer morels. "In the past, the common morel was abundant throughout C&O Canal NHP, but today morels are scarcely seen. The reason for fewer morels could be because of environmental change, human harvesting, a high deer population, or the combination of situations," said Sauter.
Some national parks, such as C&O Canal and Catoctin, allow the collection of mushrooms for personal consumption. “Morel harvesting has been important to the communities surrounding these parks for generations. It is also a prized activity for mushroom enthusiasts throughout the region.” said Dr. Marla Emery, of the USDA Forest Service’s Northeastern Research Station, who will be contributing to the research. “We hope to gain a better understanding of harvesters’ experiences and to help ensure that morels will be available for many more generations to come.” The amount of mushrooms allowed to be gathered is park specific.
The study, which will be conducted by researchers from the USDA Forest Service and Rutgers University, is part of an innovative National Park Service (NPS) response to reports of declining morel populations that has both biophysical and social components. The goals of the NPS approach are to: 1) determine if morel populations are declining, 2) document harvester experiences, practices and ecological knowledge, and 3) if necessary, develop a sustainable management plan for morels.
“There is intense local interest in morels. Harvesters want the same thing that forest managers want—a sustainable harvest,” said Sauter. Through the course of the three-year social science research project, (funded by NPS), study methods are expected to include oral histories, interviews, and surveys. “The input of local residents and regional mushroom enthusiasts is extremely valuable to this study,” said Elizabeth Barron, a graduate student at Rutgers University, whose dissertation will derive from the project. “We hope to speak to as many people as possible.”
Harvesters and local residents may provide information to the study by contacting Elizabeth Barron at Rutgers University, Department of Geography, 54 Joyce Kilmer Ave., Piscataway, NJ 08854-8045, Tel. (732) 445-6631, Email: md_morels@yahoo.com.
