Is there a single weed we’ve been collecting week after week in the same spot for over 30 years that has declined due to foraging? If so, which species, and where? Which of the tens of thousands of adults or kids I’ve been teaching for over 3 decades has been harmed by foraging? If foraging was so bad, why did the current Parks Commissioner  Adrian Benepe, who had worked with me for 4 years in the 1980s, invite me to his office in 1992 and tell me that he admired my work, and that the real reason Parks Department personnel object to foraging was that they’re afraid that were they to allow it, someone would pretend to have poisoned themselves, and sue the city!

In reality, foraging has no impact on the environment whatsoever. It puts adults and children in touch with nature, helps them learn the science behind the plants they’re collecting and the ecosystems where they’re growing, and through enjoying our renewable resources, inspires people to protect and preserve our non-renewable resources. This is especially important for children, and many of the kids I’ve taught and inspired have grown up to become conservationists or scientists, while others have become school teachers who bring their classes on foraging tours with me.