What are the rules for foraging for mushrooms in the mountains and forests of Malaga province this year?

The mushroom season in Malaga province is in autumn, although the exact date varies and depends on a drop in temperatures and rainfall. Areas such as the Serranía de Ronda, the Montes de Málaga and the Sierra de las Nieves attract mushroom enthusiasts. But what permits and requirements are necessary to pick mushrooms?

The answer was published in the BOJA official bulletin of the Junta de Andalucía on Tuesday 15 July . "Mushroom picking in the province of Malaga is an activity that has aroused growing interest in local populations and eventually in foreign ones, making necessary a regulation that avoids episodes of uncontrolled and abusive picking that may cause damage to the environment and in particular to our mushroom populations. In this way, their persistence and capacity for regeneration is guaranteed and the environment in general is kept in a favourable state," the regulation explained.

The collection of small quantities of mushrooms in Malaga province's mountain and forest areas does not require authorisation from the Junta de Andalucía as long as 11 requirements are met.

Small quantities of mushrooms are defined as mushrooms harvested for self-consumption and weighing no more than three kilograms per person per day. The topsoil must not be disturbed. Therefore, the use of tools such as rakes, hoes, or other tools that move the mulch from the soil, causing damage to the mycelium of the mushrooms, which may prevent the appearance of new specimens in the future, is expressly prohibited.

Obviously, the collection of unripe mushrooms is forbidden and inedible mushrooms, those that are not known or are not going to be collected because they are in poor condition or are past their prime, must be respected. However, other species or specimens of edible mushrooms in other states and sizes may be collected for scientific, medicinal, informative or other purposes related to their conservation, with prior authorisation from the Junta's sustainability and environment department.

Harvesting at night is prohibited and mushrooms must be transported and stored in the forest in baskets or containers made of wicker, straw, cane or other materials whose structure allows the spores to be dispersed.

It will be a free activity, but subject to the restrictions imposed by the Junta. "On private land, access to the property for mushroom picking will require the authorisation of the owners. This resolution shall not apply to public and private forests with granted mushroom and/or truffle harvesting and they shall be governed by their specific regulations. The harvesting within protected areas will also be governed by the provisions of their specific regulations, with prior authorisation being required for the reserve areas of the same," the information states.

It goes on to say: "It is not permitted to drive motor vehicles off-road, through firebreaks, forest roads for timber extraction, cattle tracks, dry or flooded watercourses, nor to disturb the fauna with noise or approaches, nor to leave waste in the forest. Failure to comply with these conditions will constitute an administrative infringement which will lead to the opening of the corresponding disciplinary proceedings and the confiscation of the mushrooms collected."