Am I allowed to pick mushrooms and berries in Sweden?
Yes — the right of public access lets you freely pick wild berries, mushrooms and flowers for your own use, even on others' land, without asking. You must leave protected species alone and cause no damage. Five mushrooms are protected nationwide and may never be picked. Protected plants may not be picked, dug up or seed-collected. You may not take from living trees and bushes — twigs, bark, leaves, acorns and nuts need the landowner's permission. In nature reserves and national parks picking can be restricted under their own bylaws.
📋 The rules
- Free to pick wild berries, mushrooms and flowers for your own use
- Five protected mushrooms may never be picked
- Protected plants may not be picked or dug up
- Living trees/bushes, acorns and nuts need permission
- Reserves/national parks have their own bylaws
🔓 Exceptions
- In nature reserves and national parks picking can be restricted or banned
- Protected species may never be picked, wherever you are
- Large-scale commercial picking should be coordinated with the landowner and county board
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Picking protected species is a species-protection offence (Environmental Code ch. 29): fines or up to 2 years prison, gross offence 6 months–4 years. Taking from living trees without permission can be unlawful damage with fines and damages.
📎 Official sources
- Swedish EPA · Picking flowers, berries and mushrooms →
- Species Protection Ordinance (2007:845) · Riksdagen →
- Swedish Police · Species-protection offences →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I pick mushrooms on others' land?
Yes. The right of public access lets you pick wild mushrooms, berries and flowers for your own use, even on others' land.
Are there mushrooms I may not pick?
Yes, five mushrooms are protected nationwide and may never be picked.
Can I pick flowers?
Wild flowers yes, but not protected plants. They may not be picked, dug up or seed-collected.
Can I take acorns and nuts?
Only with the landowner's permission. That counts as taking from living trees, which the right of public access does not cover.
Does picking apply in nature reserves?
Not always. Reserves and national parks have their own bylaws that can restrict or ban picking.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “can I pick mushrooms others land sweden”
- “right of public access picking berries”
- “protected mushrooms picking sweden”
- “can I pick flowers sweden”
- “picking acorns permission sweden”
- “mushroom picking nature reserve”