The time has come. Grab your basket, your high boots, a good hat, and don't forget a bottle of water and the insect repellents, as you might need it in the deep of the forest… but I mean, urban forest.

Today the tips are for you who want to gather the best wild foods, but still in the city perimeters. So we asked Anna Nyman, a biologist and foraging specialist from Helsinki Wildfoods, how to urban forage this summer: "With the help of an online map you can at least find, for example, apples, nuts, and some garden berries. Luckily wild edible herbs grow everywhere, so you can go to any area with nature and find them. Just make sure your urban foraging spot is not too close to busy roads. If I want to find new areas to forage or organize foraging walks, I look in Google Maps for green areas and go there to see what I can find. I never go home with an empty basket."

We are now in July, the sun is out, and so are some of our favorite berries. Strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries are in our path and can be found not just in the wilderness, but sometimes it grows right next to your home, and your neighbor might not even tell you. That's mostly common when finding a great spot. it's like finding a treasure - and you don't give the route to the gold so easily. "There are plenty of berries and mushrooms for everyone in the woods. Actually, 90 % of berries and mushrooms will be left in the forests and rot. That's why I sometimes show "my" spots to clients," adds Anna Nyman, calming us down for knowing there are still wild foods for everybody. You just have to find them.

But some specs have to be addressed around wild foods: it might be a good year or not, it depends on the weather, mostly. If it's a cold spring and a rainy start of summer, chances are for low yield of berries. Also, some fruits grow in specific regions, like blueberries in the southern area of the country, strawberries in the central to south parts, raspberries from Uusimaa to Oulu heights. And of course, lingonberry, red and black currants, and gooseberry being spotted from August to October in different areas of Finland. Mushrooms are different, they grow mostly from July to October, and in autumn months, they keep "shrooming" in parks, forests, fields… so keep your eyes peeled for some morels, chanterelles, boletes, milk caps...

So, here are our suggestions for foraging in urban centers. Most importantly, don't litter the forests, respect the land, don't trespass, and stay hydrated. Happy hunting!

Helsinki

→ Within city limits:

Seurasaari island
Central Park of Helsinki
Uutela Naturel Park
Mustavuori Nature Preserve
Vartiosaari district

→ National Parks:

Sipoonkorpi (24 km distance)
Nuuksio (42 km distance)

Tampere

→ Within city limits:

Hervanta area
Linnavuori area
Pyynikki Nature Reserve

→ National Parks:

Soukonvuori Nature Reserve (5 km distance)
Isojärvi Nature Reserve (83 km distance)

Turku

→ Within city limits:

Luolavuori district
Toijainen district
Ruissalo island

→ National Parks:

Vakkavuori (24 km distance)
Tortinmäki forests (31 km distance)
Teijo National Park (79 km distance)

To know more about wild foods and specialized tours, check www.helsinkiwildfoods.com

Photo by Jørgen Håland on Unsplash