One of the objectives of our Refungium project is to promote the understanding, documenting and enjoyment of fungal diversity. As part of this objective we want to offer supported training for our members in the sustainable collection of specimens, for the recording and documenting fungal diversity at Coed Talylan and it’s surrounding environs.
Furthermore, in designing our Biodiversity Action Plan for the Refungium we need to know more about the existing areas of fungal diversity, the distribution of species and habitats so they can to be conserved and managed appropriately, and before we begin to consider appropriate regional species for translocation.
A fungarium is a collection of recorded specimens of fungi. Detailed information is recorded and filed, often with a spore print where possible and the carefully preserved fruitbodies to allow for study in necessary. One of the largest fungaria in the world in a the Kew Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in London holding over 1.25 million dried specimens, Kew’s Fungarium collection is also one of the oldest and most scientifically important,.
In creating our Fungarium we will hold regular forays and our members, as well as members of the local community will be invited to participate in the activity of recording the species of fungi we find.
Our catalogue will be uploaded here on our website to make sure the Fungus distribution data is accessible and regularly updated. We hope the information we collect can contribute to our knowledge of fungal diversity in the wider bioregion of the Refungium, the Twyi Valley. To do this we will work with the West Wales Biodiversity Information Centre. Here you can find instructions on how to download and use the LERC Wales app.
If you would like to get involved in and contribute to our Fungarium then sign up to our newsletter below for updates on forays, or find out more about becoming a member and supporting the Refungium project.