Every trail we walk is made possible by trust.

At MycoTreks, every mushroom trail starts with permission. We are deeply committed to respecting land rights, obtaining proper access agreements, and building long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships with local communities. This includes ejidos, Indigenous stewards, and private landowners—many of whom have lived in relationship with these forests for generations.

This section outlines how we approach land access, partnership-building, and local guide collaboration across all of our trips.

Respect for Land Tenure & Customary Governance

• MycoTreks only forages in areas where we have explicit permission from the landowners or community authorities

• In Mexico, that often means securing access from ejidos (communal agrarian land organizations), Indigenous communities, or private property owners

• We recognize and honor customary law, traditional land use rights, and the right of communities to set boundaries and conditions for outside access

• No foraging or exploration is ever permitted without these conversations and permissions in place

Building Partnerships, Not Transactions

• We prioritize long-term relationships over short-term transactions

• Our goal is to funnel tourism revenue directly into the local economy by hiring local guides, staying at locally owned lodges, and buying food, transportation, and services from people in the region

• We aim to be guests, not extractors—and that means co-creating experiences, not just consuming them

• We respect when communities say “no” or “not right now” and understand that consent is dynamic and must be ongoing

Our Role as Cultural Interpreters and Learners

• We view ourselves not as tour leaders, but as bridge-builders between international travelers and local myco-cultures

• Our guides and interpreters help contextualize local knowledge and ensure respectful, curious, and non-extractive engagement

• When cultural traditions are shared with us—stories, ceremonies, practices—we treat them as gifts, not content, and we ask our guests to do the same 

Navigating Complexity with Care

• We acknowledge the layered, often painful histories of colonialism, land theft, and ecological extraction that still shape access to land in Latin America

• We strive to be sensitive to these realities and work in a way that contributes to healing, not harm

• We welcome accountability, feedback, and honest dialogue from the communities we work with—and adjust our practices accordingly

Ethical Boundaries for Guests

• All guests are expected to honor land permissions, follow guide instructions, and never stray from approved trails or foraging zones

• Unauthorized collection, trespassing, or disrespectful behavior may result in immediate removal from the trip, per our Waiver and Community Guidelines

• If you’re unsure whether something is okay—ask. That’s part of being a responsible traveler

A Living, Collaborative Approach

• Our land access philosophy is a work in progress, shaped by every conversation, every collaboration, and every walk through the forest

• We don’t claim to get it perfect—but we commit to listening, evolving, and acting with integrity

• We remain open to critique, new partnerships, and better ways of doing this work