Permits for commercial harvesting of matsutake mushrooms will be on sale from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 4, at the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area Visitor Center, 855 U.S. Highway 101, Reedsport.
One hundred permits will be available for sale at $250 a permit with a limit of one permit per person. Permits will be sold on a first come, first served basis.
Permits are required for anyone gathering matsutake mushrooms within the national forest for the purpose of selling.
After Sept. 4, unsold permits can be purchased at the Central Coast Ranger Station in Waldport, the Siuslaw National Forest office in Corvallis, and at the dunes center office in Reedsport.
No permits are needed if gathering matsutakes for personal use. Personal use restriction restrictions are six matsutakes per person a day, and the mushroom must be cut in half length-wise immediately upon harvesting to remove its commercial value.
Siuslaw forest officials asked that harvesters not disturb topsoil when searching for matsutakes by digging or raking. After harvesting a matsutake, return the soil or debris attached to the stem back into the cavity created by the removed mushroom and cover the hole.
For more information, contact the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area Visitor Center at 541-271-6000 or go to https://go.usa.gov/xytmy.
