Permitted Pursuits

Foraging in Florida

5 locations in Florida checked against the rules of the agency that manages each one: 4 allowed, 1 prohibited. Each page gives the permit requirements, limits, restrictions and penalties, with the primary sources it was checked against.

Rules last checked between April 2026 and June 2026

4 Allowed
1 Prohibited

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All 5 Foraging Sites in Florida at a Glance

SiteVerdictChecked
Apalachicola National ForestLibertyAllowed
Big Cypress National PreserveCollierAllowed
Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State ParkCollierProhibited
Ocala National ForestMarionAllowed
Osceola National ForestColumbiaAllowed

Site Guides

Allowed

Apalachicola National Forest

Florida, Liberty·Foraging

Personal-use foraging of common edible plants, berries, and mushrooms is allowed in Apalachicola National Forest for incidental quantities under 36 CFR § 261.10. Targeting huckleberries or berries above casual amounts requires a free USFS Special Forest Products permit. Critical exception: saw palmetto berries need the Forest Service's written permission and a free state FDACS permit — taking them from more than two plants without both is a Florida felony. The forest contains the highest concentration of carnivorous plant species in North America; none may be collected under any circumstances.

  • Personal-use foraging of common edibles (berries, mushrooms, nuts, greens) is allowed without a permit for incidental quantities — not for commercial sale (36 CFR § 261.10(a))
  • Targeting huckleberries or edible berries above casual amounts: free USFS Special Forest Products permit required; limit is 1 gallon per day, maximum 3 gallons per year; apply at gp.fs2c.usda.gov
Allowed

Big Cypress National Preserve

Florida, Collier·Foraging

Personal-use foraging of berries, fruits, and mushrooms is allowed in Big Cypress National Preserve under NPS general authority. Florida's saw palmetto law applies here too — harvesting the berries without the Park Service's written permission and a free FDACS permit is a felony beyond two plants. Cypress dome interiors and wet prairies hold strong chanterelle, persimmon, and muscadine opportunities for those equipped to access them.

  • Personal-use foraging of berries, fruits, nuts, and mushrooms is allowed without a permit for incidental quantities under NPS Management Policies 2006 § 4.4.3
  • CRITICAL: Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) berries: harvesting from more than two plants without the National Park Service's written permission and a free FDACS harvest permit is a third-degree felony under Fla. Stat. § 581.189; even one or two plants need the landowner's permission (§ 581.185)
Prohibited

Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park

Florida, Collier·Foraging

Foraging is prohibited at Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park. Florida's state park rule (FAC 62D-2.013) bars removing any plant life from a state park, and collecting plant specimens without the park's permission is a second-degree misdemeanor under Fla. Stat. § 258.008. The preserve's state-listed orchids, including the endangered ghost orchid, are also protected statewide by § 581.185.

  • Florida state park rule FAC 62D-2.013(4)(b): "No person shall transplant or remove any plant life from any park" — this covers berries, fruit, seeds and flowers as well as whole plants
  • Collecting natural objects (plants, animals, minerals) in a state park needs a permit under FAC 62D-2.013(7), issued only for scientific or educational collection that benefits park management — never for foraging
Allowed

Ocala National Forest

Florida, Marion·Foraging

Personal-use foraging of common edible plants and berries is allowed in Ocala National Forest for incidental quantities. No permit required for casual gathering. Critical exception: saw palmetto berries need the Forest Service's written permission and a free state FDACS permit — taking them from more than two plants without both is a Florida felony.

  • Personal-use foraging of common edible plants, berries, mushrooms, and nuts is allowed without a permit for incidental quantities — not for commercial sale (36 CFR § 261.10(a))
  • CRITICAL: Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) berries: harvesting from more than two plants without the Forest Service's written permission and a free FDACS harvest permit is a third-degree felony under Fla. Stat. § 581.189; even one or two plants need the landowner's permission (§ 581.185)
Allowed

Osceola National Forest

Florida, Columbia·Foraging

Personal-use foraging is allowed in Osceola National Forest under USFS rules (36 CFR § 261.10), up to 1 gallon per day per species without a permit. Critical exception: saw palmetto berries need the Forest Service's written permission and a free state FDACS permit — taking them from more than two plants without both is a Florida felony. All carnivorous plants and state-listed threatened species are strictly prohibited.

  • Personal-use foraging allowed without a permit — up to 1 gallon per day per species for personal, non-commercial use under 36 CFR § 261.10
  • Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) berries: harvesting from more than two plants without the Forest Service's written permission and a free FDACS harvest permit is a third-degree felony under Fla. Stat. § 581.189; even one or two plants need the landowner's permission (§ 581.185)

Laws That Apply to These Sites

USFS Personal-Use Foraging Rules: What You Can Pick in National Forests

The US Forest Service manages 193 million acres of national forest land, and personal-use foraging of mushrooms, berries, nuts, and greens is allowed on most of it without a permit. The framework comes from 36 CFR § 261.10(a), but each forest sets its own quantity thresholds — and there are real exceptions that catch foragers off guard, from wilderness area bans to the Florida saw palmetto felony that applies even on federal land.

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