Discover one of the best places in the world for early spring foraging, with a wide selection of wild herbs, greens, roots, and even some cold-weather mushrooms. Habitats include miles of mature forest, as well as the trail edges, and the disturbed, overgrown, and cultivated habitats that provide homes for all sorts of diverse species.

Search for burdock, a root vegetable prized in East Asia and served in Japanese restaurants which grows in view of the baseball diamond quite near the meeting spot. Cultivated as gobo in Japan, it provides a savory root vegetable, good for a wide range of recipes, from soups to "Wildman's" Vegan Beef Jerky.

Further into the park you'll find sweet cicely, which tastes like black licorice. This one's easy to unearth, and there's so much in Forest Park, you can't harm the environment by collecting reasonable quantities. This forest is also one of the best for mushrooms with early-season species such as oyster mushrooms and tree ears.

This 4-hour foraging tour begins at 11:45am. Call (914) 835-2153 at least 24 hours beforehand to reserve a place.