foraging sovereignty

Let's explore foraging as a living, contested relationship between ecology, culture, law, and survival. Beginning with za’atar - a resilient wild thyme central to Palestinian foodways - we examine how conservation policy can criminalize cultural harvest. From there, we move briefly through international access models (UK personal-use law, Nordic everyman’s rights, regulated European mushroom harvest), and closer to home: US National Parks, Washington State Parks, Seattle, and Tacoma. 

We unpack how language like management, stewardship, and resource protection can obscure power, and we ground the conversation in ecological restoration, justice, livelihoods, and human health. We also highlight examples of agencies attempting to align policy with principle and how there is a new story emerging that could signal change - if we demand it. Ultimately, the question remains: Who gets to eat from the land?

Selected References & Policies

Hernandez, J., & Vogt, K. A. (2020). Indigenizing Restoration: Indigenous Lands before Urban Parks. Human Biology, 92(1), 37–44. https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/humbiol/vol92/iss1/5/

Society for Ecological Restoration. (2021). International principles and standards for the practice of ecological restoration (2nd ed.) https://www.ser.org/page/SERStandards

United Nations. (2007). United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/declaration-on-the-rights-of-indigenous-peoples.html

National Park Service. (2023). Tribal leaders guide for NPS plant gathering.
https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/upload/Tribal-Leaders-Guide-for-NPS-Plant-Gathering.pdf

Seattle Parks & Recreation Rules & Regulations
General park conduct and prohibited activities (including damage or removal of park property ➝ plants, trees, soil, etc.).
https://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/rules-and-regulations

Parks Tacoma Conduct in Parks
City parks code regulating conduct on Tacoma park land including damage or removal of plants, shrubs, trees, etc.
https://www.parkstacoma.gov/places/conduct-in-our-parks/

Washington State Legislature. (2008). WAC 352-28-030: Harvest of edibles.
https://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=352-28-030

Support the Work

Full show notes and additional essays live on Substack: Grove & Grit https://substack.com/@grovegrit

If this episode resonated, you can support treehugger podcast through the donation links in the show notes. Your contributions help cover research, editing, hosting, and independent production.

Venmo: @myadrick
PayPal: paypal.me/myadrick
CashApp: $michaelyadrickjr

Ratings and reviews also help more people find the show.

Music

Intro/outro music by MK2 and Grey Room, courtesy of the YouTube Audio Library