First Nations in British Columbia's Interior say they are setting up checkpoints to track people picking mushrooms on their territories.
Skwlāx te Secwepemcúl̓ecw claims that Mushroom Pickers Property damage and trash increased in the area.
Mushroom pickers are flocking to the area ravaged by the 2023 Bush Creek wildfire east of the state in search of morels.
Wild morels, which often appear in the spring in areas devastated by wildfires, are a sought-after and expensive delicacy.
“We have seen permanent camps set up in the area with no washrooms,” Skwlāx Kukpi7 Chief James Tomma said in a statement.
“There is garbage everywhere. Some scavengers have also shot and killed wild animals in the area.”
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The nation says it has established a gate at the entrance to the Scotch Creek Forest Service Road. The gate is on the Skwlāx reservation, while the nation says the rest of the road is on its unceded territory.
“Most people respect you, but you only get the 1 percent,” mushroom picker Dan Beblow told Global News.
Gary Smith, who has been felling trees for 25 years, said as many as 600 people worked in the burn area at the start of the felling season, but numbers have since tapered off.
He acknowledged there would always be a few “bad apples” but said the vast majority of pickers worked hard to keep the area pristine.
“They shouldn’t condemn everyone for this,” he said.
“We didn't even leave a cigarette butt on the ground, ever.”
A mushroom buyer Global News spoke to at the scene said most people working in the area are professional pickers who go to great lengths to keep the area clean to avoid attracting bears.
He added that many indigenous groups have worked with pickers in the past, charging a nominal permit fee and providing portable toilets, patrols and cleanup services.
The First Nations said they will not restrict access to the area for now but will use checkpoints to track who is coming in and out of the area and make sure loggers are responsible for any damage or trash left behind.
It also said it was waiting for the provincial government to “engage in negotiations” to help protect the land and hoped a solution would be reached soon.
“The land and wildlife are still recovering from last year’s Bush Creek East wildfire,” Toma said.
“They need time to recover in an undisturbed environment.”
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
