Mushroom Observer
The Mushroom Observer is envisioned as “a living field guide for mushrooms or a collaborative mushroom field journal”. The field of mycology, the study of fungi, is an exciting one for amateur scientists because there’s so much yet to learn about these fascinating forms of life.
Participants on the Mushroom Observer site upload photos and information about fungi they’ve observed, and comment on observations made by others. Many of the observations are made by real “fungi geeks”, but beginners are encouraged to upload their information, too.
Fungi are interesting for a number of reasons, including the exciting world of bioremediation, the use of living organisms to clean up toxins in the environment. If you’re interested in that, I’ve heard great things about Paul Stamets’ book, Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World
The Mushroom Observer project looks like a great way to get involved in the wonderful world of fungi.
