The undergrowth of the Narcissus pseudonarcissus Cfred72

[Cfred72]

I have already spoken in some posts. I own a wooded area that is a few kilometers from my house. There is a wild population of Narcissus pseudonarcissus. They live together with Allium ursinum, Arum maculatum and Anemone nemerosa.

[Cfred72]

I learned to like them very early, when I was going to cut firewood together with Papa.

[ian mcdonald]

We have similar woods in our area, on limestone. It is good to walk there when the flowers are fresh and the birds singing.

[Cfred72]

Unfortunately, this is a "survivor" population. Indeed, those that grow in the brambles and scrub, are faring. The others regress throughout the years. Some of clumps longer even bloom, seedlings are rare.

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[Cfred72]

In two weeks, you see nothing at all ... The scourge? The man! In this photo, an example. When I went to find him, he pretends that it makes thirty years that they come and does not cut the leaves... It's just a few flowers for grandma ... (or for mother, for woman, for sell ...) For them, they do not see where is the problem. There's always been. There always will be ... Even the fences placed there three years do not stop. There the Ballai starts. In two weeks, everything is cut, crushed, ripped off, thrown if less pretty, trampled. Police has other concerns. We even have people from Eastern countries just shave the whole plot of Allium ursinum to return together with the country.

[johnralphcarpenter]

Fierce guard dog?

[Yann]

Damn, i thought your woodland was linked to your house. It's clearly impossible to monitor night and day.
The guys digged the bulbs too or "just" cutted the flowers?

[Cfred72]

People put weights on Closing to go comfortable. There are days weekend where there is more than ten parked cars at the same time in front.
Many reaping the flowers of Narcissus. Others cut with the leaves. Some take clump and tear off the bulbs with or break the plant pulling.
It is each time carnage. We find down plants, cut flowers and rejected to the floor ... It is to cry each year.

[Margaret]

Very sorry about your plants and the distress. Would a notice saying something like Nature Reserve please do not pick flowers or just Private - KEEP OUT do any good?

[Cfred72]

The sign display "No admittance, Private Property" has been ripped off. Some people have no respect and no limit.

[ian mcdonald]

Trespassers will be shot?

[Cfred72]

I employ you if you want, Ian. You and dogs up John 

[johnralphcarpenter]

You could put up a sign like this:

[Cfred72]

You will understand as sad as situation. No ?

[Gabriela]

Fred - I am so very sorry people are trampling all over your beautiful woodland lot. Since I lived part of my life in an Eastern European country I know that Allium ursinum is a big attraction and for a certain category of people 'private property' has absolutely no meaning.

It is hard to believe something like this cannot be stopped in Belgium. Sadly as it sounds, guarding dogs or an electric fence may be the only realistic solutions to this problem.
Throughout North America Allium tricoccum it's also over-collected from the woods because it is permitted to do it on the crown lands (in Quebec they made it illegal recently but maybe too late).