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If the governing council has its way, the mushroom pickers can wait for it. In the future, “Pilzlen” will also be allowed from the 1st to the 7th of the month.
A good specimen of boletus.
An old braid should fall out. During the first seven days of the month, according to the current ordinance on the protection of mushrooms, the harvesting of mushrooms is prohibited in the canton of Lucerne. Lucerne’s governing council now wants to abolish this rest period. She asked the Cantonal Council to declare in significant part a corresponding postulate of the Green Cantonal Councilor Noëlle Bucher (Lucerne).
The governing council justifies its decision with the fact that the mushroom mount no longer has to be maintained due to its original purpose. Trust the experience of many cantons without restrictions. Lucerne is one of the last five cantons with mushroom seasonings (see box). Its repeal is “in the sense of a liberalization in favor of mushroom pickers”, as the response of the governing council arises. In addition, “to dismantle regulations that from the current perspective are no longer necessary to protect fungi.”
Seven cantons still have days off or closed
Today, according to the Swiss Association of Official Fungus Control Bodies (Vapko), only the cantons of Lucerne (from the 1st to the 7th of each month) and Obwalden (from the 1st to the 7th of each month and at night), as well as Zurich , Graubünden and Glarus (each from 1 to 10 of each month) mounting fungi.
The cantons of Ticino and Friborg have established closed seasons: mushroom picking is prohibited there from 8:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. In 16 cantons there are restrictions on the amount of mushrooms that can be collected. In the canton of Lucerne, for example, 2 kilograms of porcini mushrooms and 500 grams of chanterelles are allowed per person per day. Organized harvesting and deliberate destruction of mushrooms is also prohibited in many cantons. Some municipalities also have their own regulations. The following applies to all of Switzerland: Mushrooms cannot be collected in natural and plant protection areas. (sb)
Canton already conducted surveys at Schontagen
The governing council wants to implement the corresponding provision in the ordinance on the protection of fungi without further consultation. This is because I had already made more detailed clarifications in the past. In 2008, the Cantonal Council rejected the cancellation of the Schontage. In 2017, on the basis of a request, the responsible department carried out a “consultation on the question of mushroom harvesting” with mushroom associations, environmental protection associations, forest owners, tourism officials and hunting districts. of Lucerne. “The consultation produced a completely controversial result,” continues the governing council. As expected, all stakeholders from the mushroom pickers interest group and their associations voted in favor of lifting the closed season. In contrast, all other respondents (the hunting association, nature conservation organizations, and tourism representatives) spoke in favor of maintaining the fungus-free season and the associated protection of habitats against disturbance.
This protection of flora and fauna has been the main argument made in recent years to maintain the protection of mushrooms. As the governing council responded, mushroom conservation advocates acknowledge “that today the side effect of conserving habitats and communities has clearly become more important than the original protection purpose itself, and that the instrument conservation of the biodiversity of the Therefore, you can do without mushrooms “.
The government accepts “the loss that accompanies the previous disturbance by calming down various habitats” and forgoes the creation of new mushroom sanctuaries, as suggested by the applicant. According to the government, the determination as well as the identification and control of new mushroom sanctuaries would involve an immense effort. This is because the need for protection against fungi can hardly be justified and is “not related to the potential benefit”. Furthermore, there is currently no legal basis for this. “
“Obsolete regulation without application”
Applicant Noëlle Bucher is pleased with the response from the governing council. This meets my main requirement. Peaceful days have been shown to be of no use. That was outdated regulation with no enforcement, ”she says.
Noëlle Bucher received a lot of comments that a green party, of all people, is calling for the abolition of mushroom picking. “I received a lot of positive comments from the bourgeoisie, but quite negative comments from the left. I can still fully support it. “For them, the abolition of Schontage does not contradict the protection of nature. For Noëlle Bucher, who likes to keep an eye out for mushrooms while walking, the quantity restrictions in the ordinance on the protection of mushrooms are essential, a fair distribution of mushrooms among the collectors makes sense.
However, Noëlle Bucher is a bit surprised that the governing council does not want to establish any mushroom sanctuaries, “especially since mushroom protection has always served as an argument against abolishing the rest period”.
Paloma Meier-Martino, head of communication for the Department of Construction, Environment and Economy, said on request: “It has been shown that the conservation of fungi no longer fulfills its original purpose: conservation does not do so much for the biodiversity of fungi as previously thought. Have.”
But why the protection of wildlife and plants no longer serves as arguments to maintain the protection period, explains the following: Both the protection of wildlife and plants remain important. Both must be ensured with adequate instruments, including measures of the strategy for the conservation and promotion of biodiversity in the canton of Lucerne. “A regulation that no longer serves its intended purpose should not be followed simply for a positive side effect.”
The rest period should decrease, the quantity restriction on the collection of mushrooms, including porcini mushrooms, remains.
