Proper Picking of Forest Products as a Way to Protect Nature

Picking forest products is a constant process in human culture present even today. People have always seen forests as a place where they can find food, as well as medicine.

Picking forest products means seasonal picking of forest fruits, herbs and teas, seeds, fungi, lichen, etc.

For a long time the picking of these products had no impact on their populations, however as human presence increased, the quantity of products in nature has decreased. Today one of the biggest problems is excessive, constant and improper collection of forest products.

This bad practice endangers both the plant that is exploited as well as other animals that might use it as food. Moderate, controlled and sustainable picking are the only ways to conserve the products that are still at our disposal.

Photo: Zaklina Redzovska

In addition to being careful when picking, we should also respect the national regulations. Here, in accordance with the Law on Forests, all those who want to pick raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, mushrooms and other forest products and medicinal herbs and then hand them over to registered purchasing points, are obliged to get a seasonal permit from their local office of PE Macedonian Forests. The application and the registration is carried out in 30 offices of the public enterprise around the country. Only with proper picking and control by the state we can conserve forest riches.