📢 Keep local ecosystems local

Hey there, shroomers 🍄

Happy Friday! Here’s what we found while foraging ‘round the mushroom world this week…

A shroomer PSA

Keep your local ecosystem local: blackforager on Instagram is educating nature enthusiasts about trendy — yet irresponsible — seeding practices that have cropped up across social media.

In the fight against food scarcity, scattering seeds for wildflowers and plants along trails is a thoughtful act, but it’s often undermined by the use of non-native and invasive species. 🌳

In this Instagram video, Alexis shares key reasons why local ecosystems are best supported by native plants, trees … and, of course, fungi!

Growing gourmet 🍔

For peat’s sake: The British National Trust banned mushrooms in its ~300 cafés to cut peat reliance. But Ireland’s state agriculture and food agency warns the ban will endanger the livelihoods of Irish mushroom farmers — and ignores many sustainable, peat-free alternatives. 👨‍🌾

Oh yum … mold burgers: Chef and bioengineer Vayu Hill-Maini led a team of researchers that made burgers by fine-tuning the genetics of Aspergillus oryzae, aka koji mold, which is typically used for brewing sake. 🍶

Psychedelic law 👩‍⚖️

Shrooming in the last frontier: Alaska’s House State Affairs Committee advanced a bill to create a psychedelic task force to investigate psychedelic legislation, following similar bills in Maryland, Minnesota, and Nevada. 🏔

First of its kind: Alberta Blue Cross becomes Canada’s first major provincial insurer to make psychedelic-assisted therapy eligible for reimbursement. 💸

Research roundup 🧪

Smell-good shrooms: Lavender oil extraction waste can boost protein accumulation, antioxidant capacity, and fat in king oyster mushroom grows. 💪

Happy little tunnel gardens: Texas leafcutter ants bring chewed-up leaves into their underground nests to farm fungi to feed their colonies and larvae. 🐜

Hyphae hype: Researchers have found that certain hyphae shapes can help fungi better find resources and reproduce. These fitter forms are naturally selected to pass on — a huge leap in understanding fungal evolution. 🧬

Across the shroomer-verse 🌠

That’s my weekend craft time sorted: Shannon collected the best mushroom embroidery patterns — simple yet striking designs for all skill levels. 🧵

Eye candy: From the lime-colored Parrot Waxcap to the bold orange-and-green chicken lips mushroom, check out these 16 most colorful mushrooms. 🌈