Mushroom Picking Frenzy Threatens Dali's Ecosystem, Prompting Crackdown

The fragile alpine meadows of Dali's Cangshan Mountains are facing significant damage due to a surge in mushroom pickers. This has prompted Yunnan authorities to implement strict harvesting limitations. Experts are warning that the excessive foraging could pose a threat to biodiversity and disrupt the delicate local ecosystem.

The crackdown was announced by authorities in Dali Bai autonomous prefecture following a summer influx of over 10,000 visitors per day to the Cangshan range. Governor Chen Zhenyong stated that comprehensive inspections would be conducted with a zero-tolerance approach towards illegal activities, including unauthorized tourism and commercial mushroom-picking that harms the environment.

The popularity of "mushroom-picking in Dali" has been fueled by short videos and images on platforms like Douyin and Xiaohongshu. These posts promoted picking and photo-taking as attractions, drawing large crowds. Some accounts even charged fees, offering foraging tools or processing collected mushrooms for consumption.

The impact of this activity is evident in areas like Yanghe village, where once-lush forests have been trampled bare by tourists. Environmental volunteers and experts are expressing concern that reckless foraging has already damaged the natural ecosystem. The mycelium, the vegetative part of the fungus, is exposed to sunlight and dies when tourists rake through the areas, hindering future mushroom production. Experts estimate that it can take five to ten years for new wild mushrooms to return to a destroyed environment.

Wild mushrooms play a vital role in the ecosystem, decomposing difficult-to-break-down materials like lignin and cellulose. They also support the growth of other fungi and plants, providing food for insects and small mammals. Researchers emphasize that without mushrooms, natural materials in the forest cannot be broken down, potentially diminishing the protective effects on plants and reducing the forest's overall functionality.

As mushroom picking increases, mushrooms in lower-altitude areas have become scarce, pushing foraging groups higher into the mountains, with some tourists entering restricted national nature reserve areas. Authorities have warned that illegal foraging and related activities will be strictly addressed under the law.

Furthermore, authorities have cautioned about the risks of mushroom poisoning. Tourists with limited knowledge often misidentify wild mushrooms. Experts highlight that even experienced locals suffer poisonings, and the consequences of consuming misidentified mushrooms can be severe. Data from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention reveals a significant number of mushroom poisoning cases and deaths between 2012 and 2023, highlighting the serious health risks associated with this activity.