Ep. 92: Fungal Diversity Survey - Championing Fungal Conservation, Together (feat. Bill Sheehan PhD & Gabriela D'Elia)

Today on Mushroom Hour we have are graced by the presence of Bill Sheehan PhD and Gabriela D’Elia of the Fungal Diversity Survey - also known as FunDiS. Bill Sheehan is the co-founder and president of FunDiS and  Gabriela is currently FunDiS Deep Funga Blog Editor. FunDiS aims to increase scientific knowledge and public awareness of the critical role of fungi in the health of our ecosystems and to better utilize and protect them in a world of rapid climate change and habitat loss. They do this by equipping community scientists, working with professionals, with the reporting tools to document the diversity and distribution of fungi across North America.

Bill spent most of his career starting and running two national environmental policy nonprofits. Around the time he was getting ready to retire he reconnected with his love of natural history through a fascination with fungi. Combining his experience running nonprofits with his scientific training and an appreciation for the power of grassroots action, FunDiS unites several mycelial strands of his life.

Gabriela first noticed the marvelous mushrooms while she was walking around Seattle, WA. After studying fungal ecology at school there, Gabriela embraced a perspective of Holistic Mycology, which views fungi as ecology, medicine, language, ancestor, and philosophy. Gabriela is leader of the FunDiS local project, Northern Utah Funga Community Science; V.P. of the Mushroom Society of Utah; and founder of Moon Mushrooms, which focuses on mycology education and crafting tiny batch tinctures. 

TOPICS COVERED: 

• How Bill and Gabriela came to FunDiS  
• Origins of FunDiS   
• Evolution from North American Mycoflora Project  
• Importance of Mapping Fungal Diversity  
• Undiscovered Diversity all Around the US  
• Amateurs Leading the Way in Biodiversity Studies  
• iNaturalist and Mushroom Observer  
• Genetic Sequencing  
• Biodiversity Data Feeding Conservation Efforts  
• Rising Awareness of Fungi in Conservation Efforts  
• Rare Fungi Challenges  
• How to Participate in FunDiS Diversity Surveys  
• How to Volunteer and Support FunDiS
• Future of FunDiS, Community Mycology & Biodiversity Data  

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• FunDiS Website: https://fundis.org/   
• FunDiS IG: https://www.instagram.com/fungaldiversitysurvey/   
• FunDiS Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fungaldiversitysurvey   
• iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/  
• Mushroom Observer: https://mushroomobserver.org/   
• Pachycudonia spathulata: https://fundis.org/images/PDF/Pachycudonia-spathulata_trifold-web.pdf   
• Dictyocephalos attenuatus: https://fundis.org/images/PDF/Dictyocephalos-attenuatus_trifold-web.pdf   
• Pholiota nubigena (Bubblegum fungus): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pholiota_nubigena   
• Bubblegum Fungus Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOa2ECym254
• Tricholomopsis rutilans (Plums and Custard Mushroom): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tricholomopsis_rutilans