Episode 135: In Search of Mycotopia with Doug Bierend

This week I’m speaking to Doug Bierend, journalist and author of In Search of Mycoptopia, a book which documents Doug’s journey of discovery as it pertains to the world of mushrooms. We talk about what sparked this journey, about what, as he puts it in the interview, was his Come to Mushroom moment and how his interest in fungi continues to develop with each new step he takes along the way. 

Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Hoverflies

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What we talk about:

• How Doug’s relationship with mushrooms began and what led to the birth of the book
• The future of mycology in terms of research and education
• Citizen science and its relevance to the progression of mycology
• Mushroom farming as an industry
• Why Doug thinks those in the mycological community are so non-competitive and community-minded
• How mycelial networks can be used as potential blueprints for societal organisation
• How mushrooms help improve soil

About Doug Bierend

“Hi, my name is Doug. I'm a freelance writer and recent first-time author based in the Hudson Valley. Over the last decade or so, I've written with a special interest in science, technology, visual and interactive media, food, sustainability and general subversiveness. My first book, In Search of Mycotopia, is due out in March of 2021 with Chelsea Green Books.”

https://dougbierend.com/About-Me

Links

In Search of Mycotopia by Doug Bierend - Chelsea Green Publishing, 2021

www.dougbierend.com