While walking on a mountain trail in autumn, I saw a banner that read "Acorns are squirrel food." Korea is a country that loves acorn jelly, so why would they tell people not to pick them up? A foreign friend once asked me about it, finding it strange. ## Are acorns really squirrel food? Yes, they are. For mountain animals and birds like squirrels, gray squirrels, wild boars, and jays, acorns are an important food for getting through the winter. In the past, even if people picked up a few acorns, there were still plenty left in the mountains. But as more people started visiting the mountains and everyone picked them up, the animals' share shrank. That's how the saying "Let's leave at least one acorn" came about. ## Is picking up a few acorns really such a big deal? What one person picks up may look small, but when thousands of people gather, it adds up. Also, an acorn is a seed that, when it falls to the ground and sprouts, becomes an oak tree. If people take everything, it also becomes harder for the forest to regrow. They say that wild boars, short on food, sometimes even come down close to villages. ## Do you have to pay a fine if you pick them up? In protected areas such as national parks, gathering nuts and fruits is prohibited by law. Offenders can also be fined. However, rules and amounts differ from place to place, so check the signs at the mountain you're visiting or the Korea National Park Service website. Most of the acorn jelly (dotorimuk) served around the mountains is made from acorns that farms have gathered separately. On the mountain, just look at the acorns with your eyes. Instead, why not order a plate of acorn jelly at a restaurant after you come down?