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Wild–foraged mushrooms represent a natural resource that provides economic value to foragers through both market and nonmarket recreational channels. Despite the importance of non–timber forest resources for sustainable management of forestlands, little attention has been paid to who forages for wild mushrooms, why they choose to forage, where they go, and what economic value is generated. This report draws upon survey data from 78 foragers who are certified to sell their mushrooms and 85 noncertified foraging enthusiasts. Its goal is to understand foraging patterns and values for morels (Morchella spp.) in the State of Michigan (USA). Most foragers spend fewer than 10 days each year foraging, and those who sell their morels are most likely to sell to local restaurants, pubs and bars, and informally to their friends. Certified foragers who choose to sell their morels sell for an average price of $36 per pound ($36/lb) for fresh black or yellow morels. Costs to supply fresh morels ranged widely among the 16 certified sellers who reported full cost details; over 70% of morels were supplied at costs below $30/lb, but some certified sellers incurred costs in the hundreds of dollars per pound. Recreational morel gatherers paid $43 to $335 per trip of foraging morels, with a median value of $93 per trip. Morel foragers also search for other mushrooms with oyster mushrooms (Pleurtous spp.), chanterelles (Cantharellus spp), hen–of the–woods (Grifola frondosa), and chicken–of–the–woods (Laetiporus spp) being the most popular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morels of Palas Valley, Pakistan: A Potential Source for Generating Income and Improving Livelihoods of Mountain Communities. The local economy in the Palas Valley of Pakistan is agro-pastoral, and people rely on income and subsistence from livestock production followed by wild-collection of morels. The purpose of this study was to investigate the market potential of morels, their folk uses, traditions, and habitat conditions. Market and field surveys were conducted in various regions of the country. The information regarding ethnic uses of morels and the traditional beliefs of people in the Palas Valley and its surroundings were recorded. The data we collected included supply and demand, pricing, and market fluctuations and trends. A specially designed questionnaire was used to gather details from focus groups, and individual discussions and personal interviews during field visits were conducted. The study areas included: Palas Valley, Peshawar, Lahore, and Karachi, which are the major herbal market places in Pakistan. The Palas Valley was found to have the potential and natural resources to become an excellent market for morels. The results of the present study indicate that five species of morels ( Morchella esculenta, M. conica, M. elata, M. deliciosa, and M. gigas) growing in Palas Valley are traded all over Pakistan. We found that a total of 15,000 kg morels from the Palas Valley were exported annually to national and international markets. This generated significant revenue (USD 343,000 per year) at the valley level. Local people, especially herdsmen, together with their wives and children, were mainly collecting this resource. Local knowledge about the methods of morel collection, drying, storage, and market price was limited. A continuous decline was observed in morel market supply in Pakistan. The main reasons identified included quality variation due to poor harvest treatments, trade practices of middlemen, availability of materials, and poor marketing strategies. The study concludes that morels are a potential source of income generation and improving livelihoods for underprivileged mountain communities. However, morel populations seem to be gradually declining due to possibly unsustainable collection techniques. There is tremendous potential to boost the income of ethnic communities by promoting training and enhancing the trade of morels based on modern scientific studies. This would not only bring considerable income opportunities for the population of Palas Valley, but would also decrease their dependence on timber sales and thus decrease the pressure on local forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using Local Ecological Knowledge to Assess Morel Decline in the U.S. Mid–Atlantic Region. Morels ( Morchella spp.) are prized wild edible mushrooms. In the United States, morels are the focus of family traditions, local festivals, mycological society forays, and social media, as well as substantial commercial trade. A majority of the anglophone research on morels has been conducted in Europe and in the U.S. Pacific Northwest and Midwest. This literature provides insights into a diverse and plastic genus, but much of its biology and ecology remains a mystery. In 2004, we initiated a study of morel mushroom harvesting in the U.S. Mid–Atlantic region in response to concerns that morels might be in decline in the national parks in that area. This paper presents results from that research with an emphasis on morel hunters’ local ecological knowledge of morel types, phenology, habitat, vegetative associations, and responses to disturbance. We conclude that experienced morel harvesters possess local ecological knowledge that complements scientific knowledge and can increase our understanding of the complex and regionally variable ecology of Morchella and inform conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photographs of several mushrooms in Europe including chanterelles, porcini, and morels are presented.

This article offers information regarding the rich history of wild mushroom usage in Asia. It discusses that there are several species of cultivated mushroom in Asia which includes morels which have been harvested and eaten for centuries in the various mountain ranges of the region. China, Afghanistan, turkey, and Pakistan exports morels to Europe. In addition, matsutake are highly valued in Japan and Korea as well as China are primary exporters of matsutake to Japan. It mentions that China's urban middle class enjoy getting out into the forest from time to time to harvest mushroom.