The Fungal Conservation Tracker is a living project led by the Fungi Foundation. Their project was born out of the realization that fungi, despite their ecological significance and importance to human well-being, are often overlooked and under-protected in almost all countries worldwide. Through the foundation's comprehensive resource, they aim to shed light on the deficiencies in fungal conservation efforts and highlight global successes.
Their project consists of two key components - an online interactive tool, and in the future, a written report made from the data collected in the project.
As an ever-evolving project, Fungal Conservation Tracker acknowledges that its data for each country may not be exhaustive, making collaborative contributions crucial to its success.
Photo credits: Marc Violo
Categories Covered
This project delves into the fungal conservation landscape of each country, providing valuable information on the following aspects:
Country-Specific Initiatives: They celebrate successful fungal conservation initiatives from around the world, providing inspiring examples to drive progress in other regions. Sometimes there are country-specific foundations, or just mycological associations. This includes a variety from the fungal sphere
Environmental Laws: They explore existing environmental and conservation laws of each country.
Existing Legal Frameworks for Fungi: They explore the existing laws and regulations related to fungi of each country.
Fungi Conservationists: They highlight individuals who are in the fungi conservation sphere. The term "fungal conservationist" doesn't have a rigid definition, so They gather information from diverse sources. This can include their participation in public fungi-conservation projects on platforms like the Rufford Foundation, authorship of relevant research papers, or even nominations for listing on FungiWatch.
Köppen Climate Classification: Provides a quick and insightful way to determine the climate zone of a country, enabling them to contextualize its environmental conditions and better understand how fungi may thrive or face challenges within that specific habitat.
Micheli Ranking: The Micheli Guide to Fungal Conservation is a tool that evaluates and assesses national action plans and reports produced by countries that have signed up to the Rio Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Its purpose is to determine how well governments are fulfilling their promises to protect fungi as part of their biodiversity conservation efforts and encourages improvement where needed. Please note that not all the information on the Micheli guide is up to date, however they are uploading the data from there directly to FungiWatch. The guide can be accessed by clicking here.
IUCN Red List Fungi: The IUCN Red List assesses the conservation status of different species of fauna, flora, and funga, categorizing them based on their risk of extinction. The number on FungiWatch refers to the total number of assessed fungi species in the list, which includes all red list categories. Note that, a country having few or no fungi listed on the Red List doesn't imply a lack of fungi to protect; it may indicate a lack of resources allocated to conduct comprehensive surveys and evaluate the country's fungal diversity. The full global search tool can be accessed here: IUCN Red List. Read the paper on applying IUCN red-listing criteria for assessing and reporting on the conservation status of fungal species. Note: Please be aware that the images chosen represent only a random selection and do not encompass the complete list. For the comprehensive list and images, kindly refer to the IUCN Red List website.
Rights of Nature Precedents: Some countries have made progress by recognizing the rights of nature, and they highlight these essential legal milestones. Rights of nature are a legal and ethical framework that grants certain natural entities, such as ecosystems, species, or natural features, legal standing and rights similar to those enjoyed by humans. More can be read here: Rights of Nature
Regional Breakdown
This project breaks down the world into distinct regions to facilitate an easier way to filter and analyze of fungal conservation efforts across the globe. These regions include:
Americas: Encompassing North, Central, and South America, this vast region is home to a diverse array of climates and ecosystems, each playing a crucial role in supporting various fungal species.
Oceania: Encompassing Australia, New Zealand, and the surrounding islands, Oceania boasts unique and ancient fungal diversity, with many species found nowhere else on Earth.
Caribbean: Comprising the islands of the Caribbean Sea, this region harbors a rich blend of tropical and subtropical climates, providing a fertile ground for a wide variety of fungi.
Europe: Spanning from the Arctic Circle to the Mediterranean, Europe's diverse landscapes offer a rich tapestry of fungal habitats, reflecting the continent's historical and ecological complexity.
Africa: With its vast deserts, tropical rainforests, and savannas, Africa is a continent of remarkable ecological diversity, contributing significantly to the global fungal biodiversity.
Asia: Encompassing the world's largest landmass, Asia hosts an extraordinary range of climates, from the frozen tundra of the Arctic to the steamy jungles of Southeast Asia, making it a biodiversity hotspot for fungi.
Middle East: Bridging the continents of Asia and Africa, the Middle East boasts a unique fusion of diverse ecosystems and cultural influences, nurturing distinct fungal communities.
The Online Tool: Empowering Contributors
This online tool invites passionate individuals from across the globe to contribute to the database. The Fungi Foundation recognizes that knowledge is constantly evolving, and they want to ensure their report remains accurate and up-to-date. Users can submit new information, updated data, nominate a conservationist, or additional insights through a user-friendly form dedicated to each country's data. By encouraging collaboration, they aim to crowdsource a wealth of knowledge and promote a community-driven approach to fungal conservation.
They firmly believe that achieving meaningful and lasting change requires the collective efforts of as many people as possible. Whether you are a mycologist, a conservation enthusiast, or simply someone who cares deeply about the environment, they invite you to join their endeavor to safeguard fungi for future generations. Together, we can shape a world where fungi conservation is a global priority, and these fascinating organisms thrive as integral components of our planet's ecosystems.