Curious Commonwealth asks: Can I forage for figs hanging on trees?

It’s the perfect time of year to enjoy some fresh berries, figs and peaches right from the source.
Take a stroll in Richmond city streets, parks or the trails and you’ll come across something edible. But is it legal, or even ethical to pick it?

Whittney Evans with VPM News explores this question, as part of our new series Curious Commonwealth.

GM Keaton keeps an eye out for ripened fruit while walking their dog Lazslo through Richmond. Keaton is an artist and adjunct professor at Virginia Commonwealth University.

They’re also a bit of an amateur ecologist.

“We walk all the time,” Keaton says. “So, I feel like we get to watch a lot of different plants do their things.”

They’ve spent a lot of time getting to know each tree and plant they pass; whether it’s on public or private property; whether the fruit is ripe for harvest and other factors that play into a decision: to pick, or not to pick?