Recent surveys by mushroom expert, Steve Hindle, of grasslands at Make it Wild’s Bank Woods site in Nidderdale, North Yorkshire have revealed exceptional numbers of important fungi species.
A total number of 45 species were recorded including 11 that are designated as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Of particular interest are the range of waxcap mushrooms, of which 25 species were found – an amount that exceeds the threshold for designation for a site of special scientific interest (SSSI).
Make it Wild’s co-founder, Helen Neave said:
We are absolutely delighted that our management of these grasslands has had such an amazing impact. These fields are part of our wild revival, a focus on nature restoration in the UK. Here we have applied simple principles, light grazing with a small herd of Belted Galloway cattle, instead of sheep, and no use of chemicals on the land whatsoever. It proves that nature can thrive when you make conservation a priority.
Steve Hindle added:
I was delighted to discover so many important types present at this site, such as the Brightsky Pinkgill, which is a UK Priority species for preservation. Moreover, this location is internationally important for waxcap species. So many of the habitats where these mushrooms have traditionally been found in Europe have been lost or degraded.
This can be due to disturbance from ploughing, the use of agrochemicals such as fertilisers and fungicides, poaching or from encroachment of scrub and trees. This makes it even more vital that the grasslands at Bank Woods are being actively managed to preserve their rich biodiversity.
The IUCN categorises extinction threat and many of iconic animal species are listed as vulnerable to extinction, including the Polar Bear, Giant Panda, Hippopotamus and Snow Leopard. It is less well known that many fungi face the same danger of disappearing forever, without determined efforts to protect their habitat.
