 Forest
Service News
Umpqua National Forest
www.fs.fed.us/r6/umpqua
Contact: Megan Perkins
(541) 957-3227
Matsutake Mushroom Season
Opens Soon
Roseburg, OR – September 5, 2006 – The 2006 commercial
Matsutake picking season will open and permits will go on sale September 11th,
with the season ending November 11th. Permits may be purchased from
the Deschutes, Fremont-Winema, Umpqua, and Willamette National Forests, and are
valid interchangeably.
In the last decade, Matsutake mushroom
harvesting has become an annual event in Central and South Central Oregon.
Anyone intending to pick Matsutake mushrooms commercially on these national
forests must first purchase a permit.
Types of permits available for purchase:
·
Minimum five (5) day permit for each harvester is $35.00
·
$7.00 for each additional day added (example seven 7 day permit
is $49.00)
·
Thirty (30) day permit for each harvester is $100.00
·
Full seasonal permit for each harvester is $200.00
Permits will be available
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the Umpqua National Forest
district offices. Permits will also be available at the offices of the
Deschutes and Fremont-Winema National Forests, and the district offices of the
Willamette National Forests.
Each permit will include an
information sheet and map(s). However, not all areas are open to picking.
These areas include Crater Lake National Park, Newberry National Volcanic -
Monument, HJ Andrews Experimental Forest, Research
Natural areas, wilderness areas, campgrounds, and other various posted areas.
Prospective harvesters view an
interpretive slide show on appropriate harvesting methods, forest safety in the
woods, and camping in the National Forest before permits are issued at the
Chemult and Crescent Ranger Districts.
A campground, exclusively established for
commercial harvesters, will open September 11th near Crescent Lake Junction
(Little Odell Camp). This designated area is the only place commercial mushroom
harvesters may camp on the Chemult and Crescent Ranger Districts. Camping
permits may be purchased at the camp anytime during the season. The cost of
camping ranges from $5 to $135. Options include camping by the day, one week,
30 days, or for 62 day season. In addition there is a refundable $25 cleaning
deposit per camp.
For those wishing to harvest Matsutake
mushrooms for personal use, a free use permit may be obtained at the Chemult
Ranger District from October 2rd through November 11th. A
limit of 15 mushrooms may be harvested each day for up to 10 days in a
designated area only. To distinguish commercial mushroom harvests from personal
use harvests, personal use mushrooms must be cut in half.
As a reminder, please check with the local
Forest Service offices for current fire and public use restrictions anytime you
are planning a visit to the Forest.
For more information about the Matsutake
mushroom program contact the Chemult Ranger Station, 541-365-7001, Crescent
Ranger Station, 541-433-3200, Willamette National Forest at 541-782-2283 or the
Umpqua National Forest at 541-672-6601. Occasional updates on the Matsutake
harvest will be posted on the Fremont-Winema National Forests’ home page,
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/frewin.
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