Mushroom collectors get training

CHITRAL, May 30: The non-timber forest department arranged a two-day training workshop for those collecting morels and mushrooms in the forest of Bumburate. As many as 54 persons participated in the workshop. According to Ijaz Ahmed, an official of the department, there was an urgent need to train the people so that the sperms may not be destroyed affecting the future growth of the genre by its friendly collection. He said that the dry temperate forest of Chitral provided rich habitats for availability of variety of mushrooms and morels. He said that the local people have their own indigenous knowledge and techniques for mushroom collection which needed improvement and due to lack of knowledge and skill for proper collection techniques majority of the mushroom  was over harvested. Mr. Ijaz said hat that as per assessment made by the department, the collectors included 55 % male 33 percent children’s and 12 percent women.–Zahiruddin]]>