Cross country practice often took me past the fire training tower, a structure several stories high along one of the main park roads. As I’ve learned more about PFAS chemicals, I’ve become aware of the toxic legacy left behind by PFAS-containing fire suppression foams. I wondered if these products had ever been used at Chestnut Ridge.

In 2009, New York State Parks Commissioner Carol Ash signed a Policy on Pesticide Reduction in State Parks and Historic Sites. In this article, I'll discuss points from the document that I found noteworthy for foragers.

Each time I have spoken with park management staff for parks in my area, I've found that there is potential for partnerships with foragers to remove invasive species and weeds that are edible and medicinal.

Before a forager harvests in any location, it's important to learn about the land-use history in that spot, and in the greater area. The Policy on Pesticide Reduction in State Parks and Historic Sites is a great place to begin.

This year, I'll be digging deep into lawn care. The Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) offers a detailed resource for applying organic standards to landscaping and land care. If you rent your home, feel empowered to share this guide with the person you rent from. (If I were your landlady, I'd be delighted to have such a conscientious tenant!)

 If you own land, check out this document to learn how you might better serve the ecosystem your property is a part of--and how to keep your family safer, too.  

Evyn Iacovitti, Environmental Analyst for New York State Parks, emphasized that foraging is prohibited in New York State Parks. However, Evyn said there is potential for partnerships between parks and foragers for invasive species removal. I explained that safe foraging requires knowledge of chemical applications in the area, and asked about herbicide/pesticide application practices.

Last week, Patrick and I did some honeymoon hiking in Colorado. On a trail near the Chautauqua Institution in Boulder, I was delighted to find the sign above. This notice of pesticide application may be the first I've seen in a public park or forest. I love that it tells the hiker which invasive species will be targeted, and lists the dates of application.

Though I wasn't familiar with the park's rules on foraging, I assumed picking a leaf here and there for educational purposes would be no problem. However, it was a problem for the girls I worked with. They heard my shpiel about the importance of knowing whether a lawn or garden is treated with chemicals before we harvest. I suggested that tasting a leaf here and there wouldn't pose enough of a risk to worry-- but a few of the girls were wary (students after my own heart!).

I wish I had made the time for students to call the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy to ask this question for themselves. I'm making the time to find out now-- and will be ready with the answer for next year's program.

I enjoyed this park's beautiful creekside hike this spring, starting at the south end. My walk generated enough questions to do some research. First, I noticed that Ellicott Creek, which runs through the park, smelled like sewage. This didn’t seem to bother the fisherpeople wading with their poles. Turns out, the southern half of the park’s 80 acres is on the flood plain, and is "subject to periodic inundation by floodwaters" (Town of Amherst). What is known about the water quality?

One might ask, “Why does it matter whether we’re technically allowed to harvest invasive garlic mustard, or Japanese knotweed? No one would mind if we took some.” My concern is that if parks and forests do not consciously allow visitors to harvest these plants for eating, their management practices and communication with visitors will also ignore this reality. If both visitors and employees are clear on what we are allowed to nibble, we will have increased the safety of the nibbling.