The idea of foraging for wild foods in the countryside has been an ancient practice, it is how all life began with the hunter gatherers and is again very popular especially for present day foragers searching for wild mushrooms.  It appears however that there are so many people now engaged in the foraging practice that council conservation managers are concerned that some of the wild and rare species may become extinct.

It is so serious that the Food Standards Agency have issued warnings to novice foragers as there has been numerous cases of stomach upsets for people that have little knowledge as to whether mushrooms are edible or of the more sinister, poisonous type.   The City of London Corporation is so concerned about the rise in the foraging for food phenomena that it has enforced ancient bylaws to reduce the amount of foraging taking place in Epping Forest.  Foraging is as old as the hills, but the glamour that recent TV chefs have contributed to the practice could actually be harming the survival of rare fungi but more importantly harming foragers and their families too.  You definitely need to know what you are doing.