Fruit picking on streets: Who is really allowed to pick the fruit?

Fruit picking on streets: Who is really allowed to pick the fruit?

In the picturesque landscapes of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, numerous types of fruit are currently ripening on the street trees, making our everyday lives a little sweeter. Every year, many passers-by not only enjoy the sight of these tree avenues, but also the fruits that hang from them. But who actually own these juicy apples and sweet pears? A look at the legal framework shows that picking fruit from these trees is definitely a sensitive issue.

How svz.de reported, there are around 17,317 fruit trees along federal, state and district roads in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Of these, 4,350 are apple trees, 4,447 are pear trees, 5,255 are cherry trees and 3,265 are plum trees. These trees are usually part of old stands, and new fruit trees are usually only planted on roads with little traffic. An important point is that the fruit from these trees belongs to the country and cannot simply be picked.

Legal regulations when picking fruit

However, this could be annoying for many fruit lovers. The regulations are clear: Active picking from the trees or the intention to harvest the fruit for personal use beyond the permitted limit is punishable according to the Land Protection Act. But there is a little leeway: collecting fallen fruit for personal use is permitted as long as it is done in a safe place. The Vorpommern-Greifswald district tolerates this collection, but at the same time warns of safety risks.

As the ZDF shows, summertime is predestined for fruit enjoyment. Picking wild fruits is permitted as long as it is for personal use and not in large quantities. The hand bouquet rule applies here: Whatever you can hold between your thumb and index finger is allowed. However, picking from municipal property is only permitted if it is explicitly permitted by signs or regulations. Otherwise, removing fruit may be viewed as theft.

Mouth robbery in focus

But what exactly does mouth robbery mean? Loud MDR The term refers to the harvesting of small quantities of edible fruits that are known. However, you should be careful where there are a lot of berries and other delicious fruits, because the risk of confusion is high. It is also important that the fallen fruit does not end up on the road - safety comes first!

The legal basis for mouth robbery is varied and has changed over the years. From a legal perspective, mouth robbery was once considered relatively harmless, but it was abolished in 1975. Today, fruit removal must be treated as normal theft, although collecting fallen fruit will continue to be tolerated as long as it is done responsibly.

If you want to be on the safe side when picking fruit in public spaces, you should check with the relevant municipality or authority in advance. In addition, the platform can mundraub.org provide useful information about growing fruit trees.

Overall, the topic of fruit picking is not as simple as you might think. It's an exciting interplay of enjoyment of nature, legal regulations and a little care until the next fruit harvest!