Guidelines For Harvesting Moss

Everything in an ecosystem 

is playing a specific role 

in the balance of that ecosystem 

and fulfilling an important niche.

Commercial moss harvest is less threatening to the bryophytes when considering the impact of land development and mining pressures, but can still have a negative impact if not done with care and consideration. 

Regulations to prohibit any harvest of nontimber forest products such as moss can marginalize traditional harvesters, and turn a law-abiding individual into a poacher who disregards sustainable harvesting practices. Follow some basic guidelines, including obtaining permission or permits, and you can harvest moss with a clear conscience, and within the laws. Please do not go out into the woods and take moss willy nilly!

Anyone selling moss to florists or for use in terrariums, or terrarium kits on the Internet should be aware of the rules and be mindful to follow them, but more than this, be conscientious to assure the continued moss growth and health in the forest to promote, not just the beauty of it, but the habitat integrity. Taking moss from forests may adversely affect balance in an ecosystem (notably hydrological and nutrient cycles) Moss is a protective, moisture holding barrier on the forest floor. It provides habitat for many small insects and animals, particularly our friends the invertebrates.

There Are Guidelines For Harvesting Moss, available as a pdf file on the Swedish Species Information Centre website here:

http://www.artdata.slu.se/guest/SSCBryo/files/IAB_Moss_Harvest_Guidelines.pdf

These guidelines have been drawn from a variety of sources, including comments from Patricia Muir (muirp@science.oregonstate.edu), Natalie Cleavitt (nlc4@cornell.edu), Alvaro J. Duque M. (ajduque@unalmed.edu.co), Tomas Hallingback, (tomas.hallingback@ArtData.slu.se), Alison Dyke (alison.dyke@blueyonder.co.uk), and the following resources: Muir 2004; Muir et al. 2002; Peck 2006; Peck and McCune 1998; Peck & Moldenke 1999; Studlar & Peck 2007; Ticktin 2004.; Vance et al. 2001.