Amateur mycologists can assist to conserve fungi

Abstract

The conservation of all members belonged to the forgotten kingdom (FUNGI) is overlooked all the time worldwide. Mycologists carry the responsibility to discuss these issues and communicate with public and politicians but what about amateur mycologists? This is a very heavy burden, as even the majority of scientists deny the true importance of fungi and their essential role in the conservation, recycling and protection of biomes. A hard mission for the amateur mycologists is to get the attention of decision makers and is even more difficult as national legislation is strongly focused on protecting of plants and animal and ignoring fungi. The amateur's role in the history of mycology in Australia dated back to the mid nineteenth century. For more than 24 years as amateur mycologist, I studied fungi close to Dalmeny, New South Wales, Australia and this work will shed the light on twelve species and their conservation status.

Keywords

• Biodiversity
• Dalmeny
• Gliophorus graminicolor
• Phallus multicolor