Beneath a row of fir trees River Shannon Aloia walks along a remote dirt road on national forest land, scanning the ground for morels. The search pays off for Ms. Aloia, an avid forager: She spies a solitary honey-colored morel, and plucks it. “You are out in the woods using all of your senses. And it’s gratifying when you can identify something and take it home and prepare it for your family.”Spring in the northern hemisphere is a favorite time of year for foragers like Ms. Aloia. It is especially popular in the American West because of the millions of acres of publicly owned lands that give foragers the freedom to roam and harvest to their liking.

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Persons: Aloia, morel, ” Locations: Jasper, American