The future of foraging is invasive – species that is. It’s a great way to get into foraging and have a free snack. But it should stay for individuals and not become a regular part of grocery stores. 

Invasive species populations have been an environmental concern for decades. Non-native plants can overtake areas and destroy ecosystems by taking all of the nutrients and water from native plants. Kudzu, Japanese knotweed, garlic mustard, and phragmites are all invasives now found in the United States. 

To combat them, an idea was proposed by Professor Joe Roman: what if we just eat the invasive species? Maryland has been serving up the invasive blue catfish that have been devastating fish and crab populations with their appetites. Recently, a Thai hotel just started doing the same with invasive plants like giant cane and water mimosa.

It seems simple enough. Foraging invasives requires no tact, and it presents an opportunity to interact with the environment while helping it at the same time. But it is not the whole solution. 

Invasives are a great way for foragers who are unsure of how to forage sustainably to still get in touch with nature. Invasive species foraging requires much less finesse than regular sustainable foraging. Kudzu, a plant known for swallowing the South, grows a foot a day once established. It makes a great tea and foragers can take however much they want. They don’t have to worry about overharvesting as it is invasive and resilient. And there are plenty of options, ranging from roots to fruit. 

But foraging our way out of the problem is implausible – there are 2,600 non-native plants in the continental U.S. alone, and most of them grow back viciously. For example- Japanese knotweed is a pervasive problem in much of the American West, smothering out native plants and blocking sunlight. Its roots can cover up to 700 square feet and break through concrete. Leaving as little as an inch behind allows it to regrow. Eating all of the Japanese knotweed in an area while being thorough in removing them is borderline impossible. 

But more importantly, trying to make foraging  a solution to invasive species is antithetical to what foraging is. The scale that would be necessary to actually get rid of all invasive plants would destroy the point of foraging. It would be necessary for corporations to be involved for the scale to be appropriate since there are over 2,000 types. Rather than being about individuals connecting with nature, foraging would become about harvesting as much as possible. 

At its heart, foraging is about connecting with nature and appreciating its bounty. It’s a way to slow down and enjoy the natural world. Some describe it as a religious experience, while for others, it is a fun hobby that gets them outdoors. Trying to eat all of the invasives means stepping away from that and focusing on speed, on quantity over quality. 

And once an invasive species has been harvested on that scale, it would have to be sold in grocery stores. Selling invasive plants on a broad scale would create a market for them. Rather than wanting to see an end to, say, garlic mustard, consumers would want to always have it since they like the way it tastes. Under capitalism, the goal is continuous growth which is in direct conflict with eradication. Corporations would prioritize profit over the planet, as they have done in the past when it comes to pollution and climate change. 

Harvesting invasives on a small scale is a wonderful hobby- but that’s how it should stay. Going large scale would not solve the problem, and might even make it worse. Take as many invasive plants as you want when foraging – but keep invasives out of grocery stores.