Mycological Research Project Update

May 23, 2025

Be a Part of Groundbreaking Research!

The Town of Fox Creek is leading a new scientific study investigating the use of fungi to reduce fire risk to communities, and you can be a part of it! Michael Schulz, the lead scientist on the study, is encouraging the people of Fox Creek and the surrounding area to record their fungal finds by joining a new project using the iNaturalist app. By joining the project, you’ll also be able to have your mushroom finds identified by professionals and contribute to conservation data for fungi across Canada. The process is simple and free!

  1. Go to your device’s app store (e.g. Google Play Store, Apple App Store, etc.) and download the iNaturalist app. Look for the green bird symbol.
  2. Sign up and set up your profile. The Sign Up option may be on the side dropdown menu or at the top/bottom of the page.
  3. Select “Projects” (briefcase symbol)
  4. Use the magnifying glass and search for “Fox Creek Fungi”, and select it
  5. Select “Join” to join the project!

Now you can add your fungus observations by selecting “New Observation”, and taking a photo or adding one that you’ve taken before. To be identifiable to species, make sure that observations include photos from several angles (especially the upper and lower surfaces and a cut-through) and include a ruler or something similar for scale. To add additional photos, just select the icon with the camera with a plus sign.

You don’t need to identify your observation, but you can try if you like! iNaturalist will provide some suggestions, but for most species, they won’t be very reliable. You can make your attempted ID as specific or as broad as you are confident with. For most, it’s easiest to just put “Fungi including Lichens” (Kingdom Fungi).

If you upload the observation when you find it, iNaturalist will automatically record the date, time, and location information; otherwise, it will use the digital time stamp from the photo, and you will need to select the correct location on the map. Make sure to select “Fox Creek Fungi” in the “Add to project(s)” field, which will prompt you to add important information about the fungus’s substrate, habitat, and key features. While not required, these fields will be very helpful if fungi are to be included in the research project.

Let’s work together to support science and conservation. Join the movement today! We look forward to seeing many of you on iNat!