Foraging Study

Foraging can be defined as the collection of plant or fungal materials, such as berries, nuts and mushrooms, not deliberately cultivated for human use. Despite emerging literature on the subject of foraging, the characteristics of foragers and their behaviors have not been studied. Our study is one of the first to characterize foraging behaviors, motivations and barriers.
 
For our foraging study, we surveyed 105 self-identified foragers in Baltimore, Maryland, collecting data about the species they forage, how they prepare them, when, where and how often they forage, why they forage, the barriers to foraging and how much of their diets are supplemented by foraged foods.
 
Gathering Baltimore’s bounty: Characterizing behaviors, motivations, and barriers of foragers in an urban ecosystem
Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 2017
 
Bountiful Baltimore: One person’s weed is another person’s edible treasure
Johns Hopkins Public Health, 2015