The rule we follow
Every specimen comes from a place where the collector has permission to collect. Private land: the owner's permission, in writing. Public land: whatever the managing agency's published rules say, and a permit where one is required. When in doubt, we ask before we collect, and "nobody stopped me" is not permission.
What follows is what the published rules say as of November 2026, with the source for each line. Gulf Coast Fungi is volunteers doing their best to find and quote the rules; this page is not legal advice and is no substitute for it. Rules change and vary by site. Checking the current rule and complying with it is the collector's own responsibility.
| Land | Collecting for science | What the rule says |
|---|---|---|
| Private land | With the owner's written permission | Your word and the owner's. Gulf Coast Fungi records the permission with the site. |
| Alabama State Parks (Gulf State Park, Meaher State Park) | Only with a Scientific Research/Collection Permit from Alabama State Parks (application, PDF; allow 4–6 weeks) | Alabama Admin. Code 220-5-.07(6): "It shall be unlawful for any person to destroy, disturb, deface, collect or remove any natural, cultural, historical, archeological, geological, mineralogical, etc., objects or artifacts from any Alabama State Park." Paragraph (3) covers plants the same way. Source (PDF of chapter 220-5), read 2026-11-02. |
| National Wildlife Refuges (Bon Secour NWR, Baldwin and Mobile counties) | Only with a special use permit from the refuge | 50 CFR 27.51(a): collecting or attempting to collect any plant or animal on a national wildlife refuge is prohibited except by special permit. Source, read 2026-11-02. |
| Forever Wild tracts and other State Lands (including Weeks Bay Reserve) | Only under a signed State Lands research agreement | The State Lands Division publishes a Permission Agreement for Scientific Research on State Lands and Forever Wild Land Trust properties (PDF): specimens kept to a minimum, collected non-destructively, archived in a recognized depository, and site visits reported to the land steward. Read 2026-11-02. |
| City and county parks (Fairhope, Daphne, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Foley, Baldwin County) | Ask the parks department in writing | Rules differ by city. None checked yet. |
Why it matters
A specimen collected without permission cannot be used: its record would say where it came from, and that record is public forever. Permission protects the landowner, the collector, and the data.
If you suspect a mushroom poisoning: call US Poison Control, 1-800-222-1222, or your nearest emergency room.
Gulf Coast Fungi · Baldwin County, Alabama · contact@gulfcoastfungi.com · Permission and disclaimers · Connections · Text on this site: CC0 (no rights reserved) · Updated 2026-11-04.