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Image© Loving Sister A City Park
Members of the public are asked to leave what they find growing in Toronto's public parks and natural spaces because of safety risks for humans and the impact that removal can have on the natural environment. The risk to humans is that some plants and mushrooms can be similar in appearance to those that are safe, but when eaten can lead to severe illness and even death.
Foraging – the injury and removal of plants – in parks, forests and ravines is prohibited by the Toronto Parks Bylaw, Chapter 608.
A number of Toronto's ravines have been designated as Environmentally Significant Areas because they contain rare species, habitats of unusually high diversity, rare landforms or provide an important ecological function. Many plants that foragers collect grow in these sensitive habitats. Trampling soft soils and other plants negatively affects ecosystems. Informal trails created by foragers can cause compaction, erosion and significant damage to the forest floor.
Harvesting plants removes seed sources that allow the plants to spread, and decreases biodiversity and food sources for wildlife. Disturbing plants and soils can also introduce or disperse invasive species into new areas. These invasive plants can quickly out-compete native species, reducing biodiversity and the quality of habitat for insects and wildlife.
Foraging can also deplete natural resources quickly. It would only take a small number of foragers to remove the majority of plant resources growing in the city.
Anyone with health concerns related to eating mushrooms or other toxic plants should call the Ontario Poison Centre. In Toronto, call 416-813-5900. Outside Toronto, call 1-800-268-9017.
More information about volunteering for natural area management and controlling invasive species with Urban Forestry's Community Stewardship Program is available at http://www.toronto.ca/greentoronto.
（Source: City of Toronto）
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