A fire, a mushroom, and Kashmir's vanishing spring

The Gucchi mushroom—spongy, ridged, and among the world’s most expensive fungi—has long drawn foragers into the Himalayan woods, where it grows wild under deodar and pine. But this year, the trails are blanketed in ash. The snow melted early. The forests are burning. And the prized morel is vanishing with them.

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Known for its earthy flavour, medicinal properties, and market value of up to ₹30,000 per kg, the elusive Morchella esculenta thrives in the damp, shady undergrowth of the northwest Himalayas. But that habitat is fast disappearing as wildfires—sparked by human activity and stoked by months of dry weather—scorch vast swathes of Kashmir’s forests.

The blaze is claiming more than trees. As the forest floor dries and darkens, morels are fading too—along with the fragile mountain economy and foraging traditions that depend on them.

Riyaz Ahmad Bhat, a 49-year-old morel picker from Pulwama in south Kashmir, who has been harvesting Gucchis since he was 16, told Mint this is the worst damage he’s seen.

Fires have destroyed the forest floor, the moisture, and organic matter these priceless mushrooms rely on, Bhat said, adding that his collection is already down about 50% this season.

Each spring—from March to June—locals armed with sharp eyes and careful hands forage for morels. But this year, morel pickers have struggled to find these spongy, ridged mushrooms amid the scorched forest floor.

Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) is witnessing one of its worst forest fire seasons in recent memory, with flames devouring ancient pine trees and erasing swathes of Himalayan biodiversity.

A combination of human negligence—such as unregulated camping—along with a prolonged dry spell, soaring temperatures, strong winds, and even security patrols, has triggered widespread fires across the Union territory. In southern Kashmir alone, over the past week, more than 60 hectares of forest have turned to ash.

Since winter, much of the region has remained parched, setting the stage for fires to rage unchecked. Dry grass, fallen leaves, and brittle undergrowth have fed fast-spreading blazes that have turned prized green cover into charred wasteland.

Wildfires—often exacerbated by timber smugglers—have become alarmingly frequent in recent years. Despite tireless efforts by the J&K Forest Department and local volunteers, vast forest tracts across north, south, and central Kashmir have already been consumed.

Firefighting efforts remain hamstrung by a lack of advanced equipment and slow response systems.

Between 21 January and 22 December 2024, Jammu and Kashmir reported 117 forest fire incidents—higher than in previous years, according to official data. The India State of Forest Report 2023, published by the Forest Survey of India, found that Kashmir lost 40.61 square kilometers of forest cover between 2021 and 2023.

Scorched trade, withering hopes

Foragers have long prized morels not just for their flavour but for their value—rich in iron, copper, manganese, zinc, vitamin D, and folate, the mushrooms are renowned for their medicinal and anti-inflammatory properties. That reputation fuels strong demand in both domestic and international markets.

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But now, people who once trekked into Kashmir’s dense forests in search of Gucchis say forest fires are delivering the final blow to an already fading tradition. Many blame a combination of climate change, deforestation, and urban sprawl for pushing Morchella esculenta to the brink—well before this year’s blazes.

The decline isn’t just anecdotal. The 2018–19 Digest of Forest Statistics from the J&K Forest Department recorded a steep fall in morel production—from 2,000 quintals (200 tonnes) in 1991 to just 88 quintals (8.8 tonnes) in 2018.

That drop has real consequences.

According to the department’s 2021–22 report, non-timber forest products—morels among them—are essential to the livelihoods of nearly two million people across Jammu and Kashmir.

Spread across 20,230 square kilometres, these forests offer more than just mushrooms: they yield nuts, fruit, herbs, gums, resins, and raw materials that sustain rural and tribal communities. Indigenous groups such as the Gujjars, Bakkarwals, Gaddis, and Chopans rely heavily on this natural wealth.

Zahoor Ahmad, a farmer and morel enthusiast from south Kashmir’s Kulgam, tells Mint that there is a 20-30% dip in morel collection this year compared to previous years.. “Forest fires seem to have impacted production, and it will be interesting to see what happens over the next few months until the season ends."

Some researchers note that morels can, under certain conditions, sprout after forest disturbances. But for Bhat, the damage feels irreversible.

“The fire has ravaged the forests, and no morel picker has found Gucchis anywhere in the past month. Our forests show no trace of morels this year, leaving us without income. Ashes cover nearly every forest compartment, and smoke still rises from the wild grass and pine trees. If the situation remains the same we will go to higher reaches where snow is about to melt, paving ways for morel collection."

Beyond the ecological impact, safety is a growing concern. Many licensed morel pickers say they’re no longer willing to brave the forest, as smoke and flames—now visible from residential areas—keep them away.

Raja Muzaffar Bhat, an environmental activist based in Srinagar, recently visited the Nilnag forest in Yousmarg. “(I) saw wild grass reduced to ashes and pine trees charred. Fires have destroyed vegetation, wild herbs, and mushrooms, severely impacting communities that rely on forest products," he told Mint.

According to Bhat, who heads the Jammu and Kashmir RTI Movement, fire and smoke have severely affected morel-picking communities in Nilnag, Khag, Tangmarg, Tral, and Zabarwan.

The forest department has issued advisories urging people to avoid visiting forested areas, to refrain from carrying flammable items, and to be cautious while moving livestock. They’ve also asked locals not to discard cigarette butts or hot ash, especially during dry spells.

Mudasir Mehmood, divisional forest officer for Anantnag, acknowledges that wildfires have affected morel growth but says Kashmir’s dry winter is the real culprit.

“The dry winter not only sparked wildfires but also stunted morel growth. With minimal snowfall, the forests became highly fire-prone, disrupting the moisture balance these mushrooms need, leaving pickers with nothing," Mehmood told Mint.

He also pointed to a deeper economic shift: China, now cultivating Gucchis at scale, has emerged as a major global supplier. “Forget China, even farmers in Uttarakhand have begun growing Gucchis, signalling a gradual decline in the hunt for J&K’s wild mushrooms in the years ahead."

The price drop reflects this pressure. Local morel dealers say rates have plunged over 37% in the past year—from ₹8,000 per kg in 2023 to around ₹5,000 this year—dragging down incomes in an already precarious trade.

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Khursheed Ahmad, senior scientist and head of wildlife sciences at SKUAST-Kashmir, warns that fires are disrupting the morel harvest season just when yields should peak. “These prized mushrooms thrive near dense greenery and pine trees, and fires are destroying them. While Kashmir is home to a diverse range of wild varieties, we could consider commercial cultivation, similar to China, in the long term," the senior scientist noted.