Where you may pick mushrooms: the rules in brief

The key rules

1. Picking for your own use is allowed: State Treasury forests are open for gathering forest produce (płody runa leśnego) for your own needs, subject to the prohibitions in art. 26 and 30 of the Forest Act (ustawa o lasach). The Act sets no quantity limit for picking for your own use.

   Ustawa o lasach, art. 27 ust. 1 – tekst jednolity Dz.U. 2026 poz. 663 [Forest Act – consolidated text]

2. Gathering forest produce for industrial purposes (e.g. for wholesale, or for large-scale buying points) requires an agreement with the forest district office (nadleśnictwo); the district forester (nadleśniczy) refuses if the gathering threatens the forest environment.

   Ustawa o lasach, art. 27 ust. 2–3 – Dz.U. 2026 poz. 663 [Forest Act]

3. A permanent ban on entry covers: forest plantations up to 4 m tall, experimental plots and seed stands, wildlife refuges, the sources of rivers and streams, and areas at risk of erosion. The district forester (nadleśniczy) introduces a temporary ban on entry, among other things when the fire risk is high and during forestry work. Bans are marked with signs (except for plantations up to 4 m – these are not marked).

   Ustawa o lasach, art. 26 ust. 2–4 – Dz.U. 2026 poz. 663 [Forest Act]

4. The owner of a private forest may ban entry by marking the forest with a sign.

   Ustawa o lasach, art. 28 – Dz.U. 2026 poz. 663 [Forest Act]

5. In forests it is prohibited, among other things, to: destroy mushrooms and mycelium, rake up or gather the forest litter, gather forest produce in places where this is prohibited and signposted, destroy or damage trees, shrubs and other plants, let dogs run loose, or light fires outside designated places (also within 100 m of the forest edge).

   Ustawa o lasach, art. 30 ust. 1 i 3 – Dz.U. 2026 poz. 663 [Forest Act]

6. Rakes and raking the forest litter: the rules do not mention rakes by name, but ‘anyone who rakes up the forest litter in a forest and destroys mushrooms or mycelium is liable to a fine or a reprimand’ (Code of Petty Offences (Kodeks wykroczeń, KW), art. 163); the Forest Act (ustawa o lasach) prohibits raking up the forest litter and destroying mycelium (art. 30 ust. 1 pkt 4 and 8). Gathering mushrooms or forest fruits in prohibited places or ‘by a prohibited method’ in someone else's forest – a fine of up to 250 zł or a reprimand (KW art. 153 § 1 pkt 4).

   Kodeks wykroczeń, art. 153 i 163 – tekst jednolity Dz.U. 2026 poz. 1372 [Code of Petty Offences – consolidated text]

7. In someone else's forest it is also a petty offence, among other things, to pull off cones, cut into or otherwise damage trees, tap birch sap, or gather moss, forest litter, branches, bark, cones or herbs (KW art. 153 § 1 pkt 1–3). This applies, for example, to pulling off pine shoots without the consent of the forest's owner or manager.

   Kodeks wykroczeń, art. 153 § 1 – Dz.U. 2026 poz. 1372 [Code of Petty Offences]

8. In national parks and nature reserves it is prohibited to gather wild plants and fungi or parts of them, except in places designated by the park director (in a reserve – by the regional environmental protection directorate, RDOŚ). Intentional breach of these bans: a penalty of detention or a fine (art. 127).

   Ustawa o ochronie przyrody, art. 15 ust. 1 pkt 5 i 13, art. 127 – tekst jednolity Dz.U. 2026 poz. 1315 [Nature Conservation Act – consolidated text]

9. Protected fungi (Minister of the Environment regulation of 9.10.2014, Dz.U. 2014 poz. 1408, in force): partially protected species are covered by, among other things, a ban on harvesting or picking. Important for mushroom pickers: the common, conical, tall, half-free and thick-footed morels (smardz jadalny, stożkowaty, wyniosły, półwolny and grubonogi) are partially protected (specimens growing outside gardens, horticultural crops, forest nurseries and green spaces). Also protected are, among others, the oak cauliflower fungus (siedzuń dębowy; partial protection), the bearded tooth (soplówka jeżowata) and Satan's bolete (borowik szatański) (strict protection). The wood cauliflower (siedzuń sosnowy) has NOT been protected since 2014.

   Rozporządzenie MŚ w sprawie ochrony gatunkowej grzybów, Dz.U. 2014 poz. 1408 [Minister of the Environment regulation on the species protection of fungi]

10. Protected plants (Minister of the Environment regulation of 9.10.2014, Dz.U. 2014 poz. 1409, in force): a ban on picking, harvesting or gathering, possessing and selling wild-growing specimens. Important for foragers: wild garlic, sea buckthorn, deadly nightshade and autumn crocus – partial protection. Wild garlic and sea buckthorn may be harvested only under a permit from the regional/general environmental protection directorate (RDOŚ/GDOŚ) (Annex 3). Lily of the valley and guelder rose have not been protected since 2014.

    Rozporządzenie MŚ w sprawie ochrony gatunkowej roślin, Dz.U. 2014 poz. 1409 [Minister of the Environment regulation on the species protection of plants]

11. Possessing specimens of protected species ‘in a number greater than negligible’ in a way that affects the conservation status of the species is a criminal offence: imprisonment from 3 months to 5 years.

    Ustawa o ochronie przyrody, art. 127a – Dz.U. 2026 poz. 1315 [Nature Conservation Act]

12. Selling mushrooms: fresh and dried mushrooms from the wild may be offered to consumers only in retail outlets or at markets, and only with a certificate (for fresh or dried mushrooms) issued by a certified mushroom inspector (grzyboznawca) or a mushroom classifier (klasyfikator). Only species listed in Annex 1 are approved for sale. Dried wild mushrooms are sold to consumers in packaging.

    Rozporządzenie MZ z 17 maja 2011 r. w sprawie grzybów dopuszczonych do obrotu… – tekst jednolity Dz.U. 2026 poz. 258, § 3–4, § 6, zał. 1 [Ministry of Health regulation of 17 May 2011 on mushrooms approved for sale – consolidated text, § 3–4, § 6, Annex 1]

• Beefsteak fungus · partially protected
• Black morel · partially protected
• Common morel · partially protected
• Devil's bolete · strictly protected