A Forager’s Checklist for Safe, Sustainable & Ethical Foraging

There are few things in life more joyful than going for a walk in nature, identifying a plant, then foraging and wildcrafting with it to create a delicious meal or medicinal herbal remedy. Engaging in the ancient and beautiful tradition of foraging and wildcrafting is an enriching practice that intimately bonds us with the natural world. Although, it’s important to be aware that foraging of any kind has an impact on the environment. 

Woman foraging wild plants

In our modern day, foraging is a hobby rather than a matter of survival. As such, we are not entitled to harvest from public lands or wilderness areas with disregard for the impact of our actions. Especially now, as our planet endures a climate emergency and critical stress from human actions, it is vitally important to thoroughly understand the proper rules and ethics of this practice. Conversely, harvesting wild botanicals improperly can have an adverse impact on us. There’s a myriad of safety concerns such as toxicity, plant look-a-likes, or harvesting from contaminated areas. 

As someone who enjoys foraging and wildcrafting, I view my role in this tradition as a steward of the land with the responsibility to protect and heal the lands that nourish me. Foraging and wildcrafting is a ritual of reciprocity between me and the earth. 
— brianne dela cruz

In many landscapes around the world wild abundance abounds. Despite our climate crisis there are many areas where we can still forage and wildcraft, if we do so wisely and with deep respect for the earth.  Here’s a handy checklist covering safe, sustainable, and ethical foraging practices to review before heading outside with clippers and bag in tow. 


SAFE FORAGING

  1. Always 100% positively identify a plant before harvesting and consuming a new plant. Double, triple and quadruple check multiple sources to confirm. There are many plant look-a-likes and the difference between a safe species and toxic species that look similar is often a small detail. 

  2. Use field guides and foraging books local to your region that show detailed images and include detailed descriptions. Bring the books with you on scouting walks.

  3. Learn from experts. This is one of the best ways to safely get to know wild plants. 

  4. Get properly equipped. Before going on a foraging trip, always get properly equipped with the right equipment such as gloves, pruners, a knife, a first aid kit, and the right type of container to bring the plant material home. Wild rose thorns will cut the skin, pine resin will stick to everything, stinging nettle will irritate the skin, and tender greens will wilt in the open air. 

  5. Start with easy-to-identify species. After researching and reviewing local foraging books, hit the trails and start looking for the plants that are easiest to identify. A good foraging book will tell you how to identify the plant as well as where it’s likely to grow. This will help you become familiar with the landscape and build a strong foundation of safe foraging. A few very easy to identify wild plants include: dandelion, asparagus, elderberry, rose, pine needles, and acorns.

  6. Know what parts of the plant are safe and when. A lot of wild plants can be toxic before they’re fully ripe or before processing, so this is something to be cautious about. Before harvesting and wildcrafting, there should be a research phase with each plant you’re interested in foraging. This period helps you get to know the plant intimately so you can work with it safely. For example elderberries are toxic when consumed raw, but they become edible and highly medicinal once they are cooked. The rest of the tree is toxic. Another example are Oregon grape berries, which are toxic when they are yellow, but safe once they are fully ripe and turn dark blue. 

  7. Avoid harvesting from contaminated areas such as roadways or agricultural streams and canals that likely have chemical run-off. Additionally, residences and public parks are often sites where harmful chemicals are used. 

SUSTAINABLE FORAGING

  1. Don’t over-harvest. Only harvest as much material as you need - never more. And, always harvest less than 20% of what is available on any particular plant. I always recommend to plan your outings and start with a recipe so you know exactly how much of the plant material you need. I advise against foraging on a whim because these scenarios (while rather exciting for us) can often be detrimental for the environment because we’re more likely to over-harvest. If your recipe calls for more than what is available on a certain plant (considering the 20% rule), then harvest from multiple plants or locations to acquire the amount you need. Or, don’t harvest. 

  2. Don’t improperly harvest so as to kill the parent organism. Consider the lifecycle of the parent plant and never remove all of the roots, all of the seeds, all the flower heads, or so much of the plant that it can’t continue to grow and reproduce. There are some exceptions to this rule such as harvesting invasive species or for plants that grow so abundantly and involve root processing to extract the medicinal benefits. I recommend learning how and when to forage roots with an expert, or cultivating the plant in a home garden to harvest the benefits.

  3. Never harvest any protected, endangered or at risk species. Most local land management agencies have a list of protected, endangered, or at-risk plants to avoid.

  4. Leave no trace. Any excursion outdoors should involve careful consideration of your impact on the land. Follow the Leave-No-Trace rules to ensure your impact is as minimal as possible. 

  5. Harvest in the right season for the plant to avoid harming the ecosystem. Cutting or removing parts of plants when they are dormant in the winter can cause significant die-back or harm. Likewise, foraging during the intense heat of summer, especially during a drought, when plants are already stressed is likely to cause undue harm. Winter is root-harvesting season for most plants because that’s where the plants sugars are at that time. Spring is a great time to harvest foliage. Summer is best to harvest foliage, flowers, resin, and berries. Fall is ideal to harvest berries, seeds, nuts, and some roots.

  6. Observe the health of the plant before harvesting. If a plant looks wilted, discolored, overrun by pests, or generally looks sad, it’s likely suffering. Avoid harvesting plants that are not robust and healthy. Many plants that grow right next to trails and foot paths endure more stress than those located off trail. When foraging, it’s best to forage plants that are off the main trail if the wilderness area permits that. Just be sure to tread lightly so as not to damage any surrounding plants.

ETHICAL & LEGAL FORAGING

  1. Be aware of sacred plants to indigenous cultures and do not use plants in a way that culturally appropriates. A widely known example of this is the over-foraging of the white sage plant, which is sacred to indigenous tribes of the American Southwest. The burning of white sage for spiritual rituals by non-native people is cultural appropriation. Unfortunately, because this ritual is so mainstream now, the white sage plant is on the brink of extinction. 


  2. Always ask permission from the land owner, or get a permit if necessary. Many wilderness areas in the United States prohibit foraging for commercial or personal uses except when permits are obtained. It’s important to research land boundaries, ask permission and obtain a permit before removing any plant material from an area.

Lastly, I’d like to add a note about actions taken during the harvesting process. Foraging is an act of reciprocity with the earth, which is sacred. Plants are intelligent earth beings and it’s important to acknowledge them as such, as opposed to thinking about them as non-sentient, inanimate objects outside. They are alive, animated, and communicative. Before harvesting I teach that it’s important to communicate with the plant and ask it’s permission to be cut. As intuitive beings ourselves we can usually tell, by a gut sense feeling, what the plant’s answer is to our question. Respect the plant’s wishes. Then, give something back to the plant, such as water from your water bottle or by sprinkling it’s seeds around. When we forage with deep respect as well as develop a dialogue with our fellow nature beings, that’s when we start to tap into the real magic of nature.

Wild rose hops steaming in a glass for a wildcrafted winter tea

The 8-Step Forage & Wildcrafting Process

The checklist for safe, sustainable and ethical foraging is undeniably long, as it should be if we are committed to upholding respect for the earth throughout our foraging adventures. Although it can make this practice seem daunting, once you develop a process it actually becomes quite enjoyable! Below I’m sharing the order of my process for foraging and wildcrafting.

  1. Go on a scouting trip to look for plants. 

  2. Properly ID sighted plants.

  3. Research 1-2 plants and plan foraging trip.

  4. Select a recipe for using the plant material.

  5. Gather the proper equipment for the recipe.

  6. Review the Safe, Sustainable, and Ethical Forager’s Checklist.

  7. Harvest the plant.

  8. Wildcraft with the plant soon after returning home, and enjoy!