Updated rules for collecting natural resources in forests have come into effect in Ukraine since 2025. Now, unauthorized collection of berries, mushrooms, nuts, or fruits in prohibited areas may result in an administrative fine.
The law clearly regulates where and under what conditions you can mow hay, graze livestock, or collect forest products. What is prohibited under Article 70 of the Code of Administrative Offenses:
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unauthorized haymaking and grazing of livestock in forests and on state forest fund lands, even if the area is not covered by forest;
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collecting mushrooms, berries, nuts and other wild plants in areas where this is prohibited or permitted only with forest permits;
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harvesting fruits and berries at unspecified times determined by local authorities or forestry.
These are areas where the collection of nature's gifts is regulated.
Fines for violations are provided: for citizens - from 17 to 51 hryvnias, for officials - from 51 to 119 hryvnias. Although the amounts seem symbolic, the law is the law. Even for a handful of nuts in a "forbidden" forest, you can receive an administrative penalty.
If your "hunting" harms rare plants or damages the forest floor, you may be prosecuted under environmental protection laws.
There is also a stricter penalty. If you pick plants from the Red Book, the fine can increase to 1,700–3,655 hryvnias. And this is no longer a symbolic amount.
So before going to the forest, it's worth checking whether collecting is allowed at a specific place and time. This will save you not only from a fine, but also from conflict with forest guards.
The rules are not in place by chance. Uncontrolled fruit picking and livestock grazing can harm ecosystems, destroy rare plants, cause soil erosion, and even create a risk of forest fires.
As lawyers explain, the collection itself is not completely prohibited, but there are territories and rules that must be followed. If you are not sure whether it is allowed in a particular place, it is better to ask the forestry department or local authorities.
What are the laws regarding wild plants in Europe?
In Germany, mushroom picking is regulated by law and has its own specifics. You can only pick mushrooms in the forest with the permission of the owner of the forest plot, which can be state, private or communal. There are also some restrictions on the number of mushrooms that can be picked at one time.
It is also important to know which types of mushrooms can be picked and which are poisonous or protected by law. Violating mushroom picking rules can lead to serious fines, which can reach several thousand euros. For example, exceeding the permitted quantity can be punished with a fine.
It is also important to follow ethical mushroom picking rules to avoid harming the forest ecosystem. In most federal states in Germany, the daily limit for mushrooms that can be picked in the forest is 1 to 2 kilograms per person.
For collecting too many mushrooms, you can receive a fine of up to 5 thousand euros, but some types of mushrooms are under strict protection and their collection is prohibited - for such actions, the amount of the fine can increase significantly.
The amount of fines for violations in different German states:
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Baden-Württemberg: usually up to €2,500, but in particularly serious cases up to €10,000.
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Berlin: up to 10,000 euros.
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Rhineland-Palatinate: up to 2,500 euros or up to 10,000 euros in particularly difficult cases.
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Brandenburg: up to 20,000 euros.
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Mecklenburg-Vorpommern: up to 7,500 euros.
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Thuringia: up to 2,500 euros.
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Saxony: up to 2,500 euros and up to 10,000 euros in particularly difficult cases.
Rare types of mushrooms can only be collected in minimal quantities - for 1–2 servings of the finished dish.
For example, the Baden-Württemberg state forest law states:
"Collection of forest fruits and plants (§40): Everyone is allowed to collect forest fruits, litter and wood in the amount customary for the area, as well as to take forest plants such as flowers and herbs, not exceeding a bundle. Collection must be carried out with caution. Removing branches from forest trees and shrubs in an amount not larger than a hand-tied bundle is not punishable. This does not apply to the removal of branches of forest crops and top shoots, as well as digging up forest trees and shrubs."
According to the website bussgeldkatalog.org, prohibited areas in Germany include:
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all areas used for forestry or where hunting is carried out;
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nature reserves and bird sanctuaries;
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areas to which access is prohibited by signs or fences.
If Ukraine aspires to live in Europe, it must forget about barbaric habits and get used to respecting laws that protect the environment. It is another matter that in our country they can try an old woman who sells a bunch of snowdrops collected on her own plot, and at the same time release on bail people who cut down hundreds of hectares of forest.
