Plant poachers damage Cook County forest preserves as demand for ramps and morels makes foraging more profitable
Paul Roots, a resource technician with the Cook County Forest Preserve, clears away brush and invasive plants along the shores of Baker’s Lake on July 31, 2023, in Barrington. Roots and other workers who spend time in the forest preserve keep a lookout for people foraging and poaching vegetation.But as foraging has grown in popularity, plants including ramps, a popular wild onion, and mushrooms such as morels are frequently targeted by poachers to sell to Chicago-area restaurants.
Some gather small amounts of plants for personal use, but the majority of foraging is strictly for profit, Hasler agreed. Marty Bechak, a senior resource technician with the Cook County Forest Preserve, works along the Poplar Creek Bike Trail and clears away brush, July 31, 2023, in Hoffman Estates. Belchak and other workers watch for poachers."You don’t want to punish people, you want to educate them. Most people just don’t know," he said.
At the height of his business, Odd worked with around 40 businesses on a weekly basis. He supplied chefs with fairly specific ingredients who were willing to add something to a current dish or craft a special depending on the season.
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