Nottingham’s Wollaton Hall bans wild foraging over ‘excessive’ increase and tree damage

A popular Nottingham park has banned foraging following an “excessive” increase in the activity.

Wollaton Hall and Deer Park said they have introduced the ban as the rate of foraging “has become intolerable”.

Some visitors to the attraction have been foraging for commercial gain, which is illegal, by “collecting trolleys and carrier bags of chestnuts”, park bosses said.

Foraging is the act of gathering wild food for free and can include nuts, plants and fungi.

Lucy Buckle, known as the Nottingham Forager, said it was an “emotional farewell” to one of her favourite foraging spots.

“Visitors have been gathering wild food here without issue up until recently,” she added and urged other foragers to be safe, sustainable and legal.

New “no foraging allowed” signs have been placed around the park, prohibiting visitors from collecting chestnuts and other wild food.

In a social media post, the park said chestnuts are a “vital” food source for deer during the rutting season and throughout the winter months.

Visitors have also been seen picking fungi, which play a “key role” in recycling nutrients and providing food to other natural organisms, the park added.

Rangers also said branches of mature trees had been damaged due to people trying to knock off the chestnuts.

It is not clear how the ban will be enforced, but rangers and volunteers will be “educating the public”, the park bosses said.