A new era of mycelial conservation could begin this month when the UK and Chile propose that fungi should be placed alongside animals and plants as a separate realm for environmental protection. Mushrooms, mould, mildew, yeast and lichen would all receive elevated status under the plan, which will be submitted to the UN convention on biological diversity … Continued
The word “funga” should be used alongside flora and fauna when discussing conservation issues to reflect the importance of fungi to ecosystem health, campaigners have said. The Fungi Foundation said in a post on a social media account of the secretariat of the UN convention on biological diversity (UNCBD) that it was time fungi were “recognised and … Continued
One evening last winter, Merlin Sheldrake, the mycologist and author of the best-selling book “Entangled Life,” was headlining an event in London’s Soho. The night was billed as a “salon,” and the crowd, which included the novelist Edward St. Aubyn, was elegant and arty, with lots of leggy women in black tights and men in perfectly draped … Continued
The recent UN General Assembly’s historic recognition of the right to a healthy environment and the proliferation of rights of nature legislation and jurisprudence are not isolated developments. On the contrary, they are part of a broader interest in charting a new relationship with nature which is evident in many fields, from the sciences to … Continued
It’s no secret that Earth’s biodiversity is at risk. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, 26% of all mammals, 14% of birds and 41% of amphibians are currently threatened worldwide, mainly due to human impacts such as climate change and development. Other forms of life are also under pressure, but they are harder … Continued
Fungi have long supported and enriched life on our planet and can help address many urgent environmental problems. It is time for fungi to be recognised within legal conservation frameworks and protected on an equal footing with animals and plants. Fungi make up one of life’s kingdoms – as broad a category as “animals” or … Continued
In 1999, Giuliana Furci developed a profound interest in fungi. They were everywhere, and the 20-year-old took particular joy in the multiformity of mushrooms: small and button-shaped; tall and umbrellalike; bulging, with crimson-red caps topped with white flakes. But Furci also quickly realized that these fungi went largely ignored in Chile, where there were few … Continued
Policymakers and biodiversity institutions agree that fungi are fundamental to rich and sustainable ecosystems, but few institutions have taken direct steps to explicitly include these organisms in their policy frameworks. One reason: People tend to prefer large charismatic creatures, says Axel Hochkirch, a professor of biodiversity conservation at the University of Trier in Germany. Whales, … Continued
You’ve likely heard about flora and fauna, but what about the third (and just as important) F? We’re talking about funga. Fungi are neither plants nor animals. They comprise their own kingdom altogether and we believe it’s time to recognize their critical role in keeping our planet keepin’ on! Re:wild is committed to being “mycologically … Continued