Fungi as Agents of Biocultural Restoration

For me, spreading the mycelia love connection is just as important and rewarding as research. In this regard, I am indebted to Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer and her teachings on biocultural restoration. Biocultural restoration is the science and practice of not only restoring ecosystems, but also our connection to place and cultural relationship to nature. Aldo Leopold wrote on this topic in terms of a land ethic, the sense that the land and its inhabitants are a community to which we belong, a community that deserves our love and respect. These principles highlight not only our capacity to grow as stewards, but also the imminent need to do so in the face of global environmental crisis.  

​So how do fungi fit in? Fungi are fascinating organisms that serve as an excellent catalyst for biocultural restoration and land ethics. For example, mushroom foraging is an exciting entry point for people to begin to observe nature more closely, reflect on their relationship to it, and appreciate and thus want to conserve its beauty and bounty. While true for me, the way to one's heart is not always through the stomach. As ubiquitous, hyper-diverse entities on this planet, fungi offer numerous other avenues to the heart. Consider the mind-altering and powerful medicinal properties of psychedelic mushrooms; the radiant colors produced by mycopigments; the mutualistic interactions between soil fungi and roots that support the health and functioning of almost all plant species; or the cheeses, ales, and sourdough breads that bless this world... I'm back to the stomach. You get the point!