Mushroom foragers collect 160 species for food, medicine, art, and science

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Key Takeaways:

  • 1. Research project initiated during COVID-19 pandemic studied wild mushroom foraging in Pennsylvania.
  • 2. Surveys conducted in 2022 and 2023 revealed wide variety of mushrooms collected, with morels, chicken of the woods, and chanterelles being common.
  • 3. Findings published in Economic Botany in October 2025 show foragers primarily use mushrooms for food and medicinal purposes, fostering community sharing through social media.

During the pandemic, a study on wild mushroom foraging in Pennsylvania was conducted, revealing a diverse range of fungi collected by harvesters, with morels, chicken of the woods, and chanterelles being popular choices. The research highlighted the use of mushrooms for food and medicine and the creation of sharing communities among foragers through social media tools.

Insight: The study sheds light on the longstanding tradition of wild mushroom harvesting in the mid-Atlantic region, emphasizing the importance of understanding the practices and preferences of foragers in this unique ecosystem.

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This article was curated by memoment.jp from the feed source: Ars Technica.

Read the original article here: https://arstechnica.com/science/2025/11/mushroom-foragers-collect-160-species-for-food-medicine-art-and-science/

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