“Mushrooms in the ice desert” by Reidun Braathen and Even W. Hanssen, published by Artica Svalbard

Foraging in Svalbard

Foraging has been a part of life on Svalbard for as long as people have been coming to the islands; it was essentially a prerequisite for survival. Seals, Svalbard reindeer, Arctic char, and ptarmigan have been hunted profusely – but the new, exotic culinary delight is the mushroom.

Why is mushroom picking so popular? It’s an inherent part of human nature to forage, to use one’s local environment for food. The Svalbard Environmental Protection Act allows people the right to gather mushrooms (as well as seaweed and kelp) for private use, while all other land plants are protected. This – combined with the need to keep watch for polar bears – makes group mushroom-picking trips an attractive activity. Since 2016, we’ve organized mushroom-picking trips, mushroom identification sessions with simple cooking classes, lectures, and school presentations. The end of August has practically evolved into a mushroom week in Longyearbyen. It’s almost paradoxical! First of all, the Norwegian people don’t have a particularly long-standing tradition of mushroom picking, and second of all, the Arctic tundra isn’t the first place that comes to mind for mushroom foraging. All the same, a spark was ignited, and Svalbard’s international population means that mushroom cultures from other countries have an influence on Norwegian practices.

Read the full translation on Artica Svalbard’s website.