Fungi is seen as a late autumn thing – but the social media pages of the Sid Valley Biodiversity Group have been relaying sights these last days and weeks.
Lichens are not a fungi, but today it was reported: Looking closely at some crust lichens and I noticed this little mite, about 0.5mm across. And from earlier in the month, a fine specimen was spotted: Wonderful bracket fungus on an alder by the river in Gilchrist Field.
Recently, we learnt how an East Devon fungus group is championing citizen science:
The Three Counties Group of the Fungus Conservation Trust photograph and record the mushrooms they find in a database which is used by organisations that need it. Trustee Hazel Jordan said: “It is used for various different things – whether it be planning, the National Trust, Natural England, students, conservation groups – an amazing amount of things.”
And here’s a little more on the FCT:
FCT members are all amateur enthusiasts who want to broaden their interest in fungi and to help with the conservation of mushrooms and toadstools as they come under increased threat from depletion of woodland.