7 tips for safe mushroom foraging

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Don't eat any fungi if you're not 100% certain of its identity. Don't stray from this rule; it's not worth the risk.

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Get a good ID book and learn identification basics – stems, reticulation, gills, pores, spore prints, staining, growth habit, and environment. Tyler recommends A Field Guide to New Zealand Fungi by Shirley Kerr. He also recommends researching on iNaturalistNZ and joining mushroom Facebook groups, such as Mushroom Hunting New Zealand.

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Always take pictures when you pick. Mushrooms can change colours or deteriorate after being harvested, and by the time you get them home, some of the distinguishing characteristics may have changed.

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There are no shortcuts or overarching rules about mushroom identification. You must learn about each species independently. If someone says there's an all-encompassing rule, like "if it doesn't have gills, it's safe to eat,” walk away – that's not how mushroom foraging works.

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Always be prepared – wear good boots, bring water, carry a knife, have a compass and map, and tell someone where you're going. It's very easy to get directionally confused in a forest, especially if you've been distracted by a fantastic mushroom find.

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Embrace the process. No-one can learn about all the mushroom species in one season – the experts take decades to study mycology. Also, mushrooms are finicky – sometimes you'll go out in the woods for 5 minutes and find a treasure trove; other days, you'll tramp around for hours and find nothing.

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Tread lightly. Fungi are interconnected with the land. If you destroy their habitat, you do much more than hurt just one species. When foraging, don't disturb the natural environment and only pick what you will use.