Sibillini National Park Rules: What Is Allowed, Mushroom Picking Included
The Sibillini National Park rules on mushroom picking in the Sibillini Mountains are read together with regional laws. The park spans the Marche region and Umbria, and for ground-growing (epigeous) mushrooms the two regional laws apply. Both set the daily cap at 3 kg per person. Beyond mushrooms, the park has bans that protect the environment and wildlife: no open fires, no wild camping, no drones for leisure.
Sibillini National Park rules: what to know
Mushrooms: limits and permits. National law leaves it to the regions to set the maximum daily quantity per person. In the Marche the limit is 3 kg per day per person, except for single specimens or clusters grown together that cannot be separated and exceed that weight. The quantity limit does not apply to wood-growing (lignicolous) mushrooms. In Umbria picking is allowed up to 3 kg in total per day per person, with the same exception for a single specimen or a single cluster.
On permits, the two sides differ. In the Marche, pickers need a picking qualification, obtained by passing a test, and the annual picking permit; picking is allowed from dawn to dusk. In Umbria, non-residents must be authorized by the Comunità montana (mountain community) responsible for the area. Also in Umbria, children under fourteen may pick mushrooms if accompanied by an adult. In Umbria picking is not allowed at night, and the law sets further hours that vary by month.
Other rules concern how mushrooms are picked. In both regions it is forbidden to pick Amanita caesarea while it is still a closed egg. In Umbria mushrooms must be picked so that the features that allow the species to be identified remain intact, and they must be roughly cleaned on the spot. They must also be carried in rigid, ventilated containers of woven natural fibers, which let the spores spread. Anyone exceeding the limit risks fines and confiscation of the illegally picked mushrooms. In the Marche the law forbids picking in protected natural areas, except as established by the bodies that manage them. For this reason, before picking mushrooms in the park, it is wise to ask the Park Authority which rules apply in the chosen area.
Fires, camping and bivouacking. Camping is not allowed outside the designated equipped areas. Bivouacking is allowed only in some areas. Open fires are forbidden, except for the exemptions and authorizations provided by the Park ordinance.
Drones. In the park, flights by unauthorized aircraft are forbidden. Flying for leisure and recreation is always forbidden, even if the images are published on social media. In zone A "Riserva integrale" (strict reserve) and in the Natura 2000 site "Monte Bove", flying any object without people on board, model aircraft included, is forbidden, except with Park authorization for activities of public interest or study.
The Lago di Fiastra basin. Here the bans are listed on the Park signs. Cycling outside the permitted routes is not allowed. As throughout the park, visitors must not leave waste, not even organic waste or cigarette butts, make disturbing noise, light fires or camp outside the equipped areas. It is also forbidden to collect or damage animals, plants, rocks, minerals and fossils. Dogs must be kept on a leash, and in the areas of high natural value (A) they may enter only along the official hiking trails (details in the Sibillini Mountains with a dog).
Mountain biking. The restrictions in zone A have been reduced to the closure of some areas considered most sensitive. The forbidden trails include those around the Vettore and Lago di Pilato. Before setting off by bike, it is wise to check the permitted routes.
Sibillini National Park rules: when to go
The bans on fires, drones and camping apply to visitors at any time of year. Mushroom picking, on the other hand, has a specific season: the mycelium grows with warm or mild temperatures and moist soil, and the main season is fall. Those planning a visit in that period can read the page on the Sibillini Mountains in fall.
Some restrictions are temporary. Since 2009, for example, the Park has banned access to part of Monte Bove at certain times of year, to protect the reintroduced chamois. For this reason it is wise to check the Park Authority's notices before every outing.
Sibillini National Park rules: practical tips
Before picking mushrooms, it is necessary to find out which region the chosen area falls in and obtain the required permit. To get oriented between the two sides, the Monti Sibillini map is useful, while where the Sibillini Mountains are explains how the park is divided between the Marche and Umbria. Rules also vary within the same region: consortia, mountain unions and parks add their own rules. It is therefore wise to ask about local regulations.
For picking, a basket of natural fibers, which lets the spores fall, and a knife to clean the mushrooms on the spot are needed. The limit of 3 kg per person must be respected, and in a group the limit is individual.
For hikes, the Park Authority updates trail conditions on its official trails page (in Italian), and trails may be closed or only partly passable. The Park asks visitors to respect nature and always stay on the trails. It also asks them to take home photos and memories without removing anything. Before leaving, it is also useful to check the weather.