Preserving a way of life for truffle hunters
Print Edition
The sound of paws scurrying along the forest floor echoes through Croatia鈥檚 northwestern woods, where the hunt for truffles is being threatened by climate change and deforestation 鈥 stirring fears that the country鈥檚 gastronomic gold mine may be at risk.
The delicate microclimate in the picturesque Istria peninsula鈥檚 forests has long been famed for producing some of the world鈥檚 finest white truffles, which this year fetched up to 2,500 euros (US$2,860) per kilogram.
But the increase in temperatures and lower precipitation levels linked to climate change 鈥 along with a shrinking water table and habitat loss 鈥 could throw off the natural incubator that produces the luxurious ingredient.
鈥淚t鈥檚 more difficult to find a truffle than to sell it,鈥 lamented Darko Muzica, who oversees the Istra Association of Truffle Hunters, an advocacy group campaigning to protect the peninsula鈥檚 white truffle.
Along with climate change and diminishing water tables, Muzica says poor forest management is also threatening future harvests, with officials giving preferential treatment to the timber industry.
A 2014 study on Istria鈥檚 truffles issued a similar warning: 鈥淭hroughout the world, the productivity of natural truffle habitats is shrinking, which is often linked with climate change but also the ways the land is used.鈥
Truffle enthusiasts say immediate action is needed to protect the area鈥檚 habitat.
鈥淭he whole region would benefit from it,鈥 said Ivan Vukadinovic, who is also a member of the truffle hunter association.
鈥楾op quality鈥
Fears over the truffle鈥檚 future in Istria comes on the heels of a decades-long love affair with the culinary delight in Croatia.
Istria has long been a tourist hotspot in the Balkan nation, famed for its pristine coastline and island getaways, but it has often been overshadowed on the truffle front by neighboring Italy across the Adriatic.
With money to be made, truffle hunters, accompanied by teams of specially trained dogs, comb through Istria鈥檚 dense, lowland forests near Motovun hoping to strike white gold.
鈥淪earch! Search!鈥 shouted forest scientist Zeljko Zgrablic as his two dogs pawed at the ground near a suspected bulb.
After digging away a layer of topsoil, Zgrablic carefully extracted a white truffle weighing about 20 grams 鈥 which could net up to 130 euros.
It鈥檚 a typical scene during Istria鈥檚 white truffle season that runs from September to late December, attracting a wide swath of aficionados ranging from weekend warriors to locals hoping to pocket extra cash.
Istria remains one of the few areas outside of Italy鈥檚 famed Alba region able to produce high-end white truffles, thanks to its humid climate and alkaline soil that imbues the edible fungi with a strong aroma and optimal density.
鈥淭hey are heavy and have a good shape, which makes them a top-quality product,鈥 said Zgrablic.
The first written reference to truffles in Istria dates back to the late 1920s, when the peninsula was then part of Italy.
But the industry has gone into overdrive in the past two decades, with the sector netting millions of dollars annually 鈥 spurring Istria to rebrand itself as 鈥渢ruffle land.鈥
The truffle rush started after the discovery of a bulb weighing 1.31 kilograms that was listed for a time in the Guinness Book of World Records.
鈥淭he event started a truffle avalanche,鈥 said Giancarlo Zigante, a former hunter and restaurateur who now produces hundreds of locally sourced truffle products 鈥 including oil, chocolate and chips that are exported to dozens of countries worldwide.
Hoping to protect the area鈥檚 lucrative truffle trade, the local association of truffle hunters has begun campaigning for 鈥減rotected designation of origin鈥 within the European Union.
If granted, it says the certification would help provide better management of the region鈥檚 forests by eliminating their 鈥渋rrational devastation,鈥 while also guaranteeing the truffle鈥檚 authenticity and helping raise awareness for preservation efforts.
But for many enthusiasts, preserving the area鈥檚 habitat is about protecting the simple pleasures that come with truffle hunts.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a lifestyle, it gets under your skin,鈥 Muzica said. 鈥淭he dog is happy whenever I鈥檓 happy. And I鈥檓 happy when my dog finds a truffle.鈥
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