Underground Lovers – A foray in fungal realms
It seems we are in something of a fungal turn. Once overlooked, fungi are the exhilarating new poster organisms reconfiguring our understanding of the natural word and capturing the public imagination.
Although little known, the roots of almost every plant in the Australian landscape are intimately entwined with fungi. These clandestine relationships extend beyond trees to include every orchid and most shrubs and grasses. Symbioses are the secret to success in our highly variable climate and nutrient-deficient soils.
Fungi not only help plants access water and nutrients, but also increase their resistance to drought and disease. They build architecture in soils, aerate them, and allow water to gently percolate to deeper horizons. Despite this, ‘the third F’ slips through ideas about nature and conservation that focus on flora and fauna.
Fungi not only contravene the frameworks we use to understand life, but also also inspire the innovative thinking needed to navigate an uncertain future. In this illustrated and interactive seminar Alison will share insights from over two decades spent in the field with fungi, both locally and across hemispheres. She will share some of the first-hand stories – from the Australian desert to Iceland’s glaciers to America’s Cascade Mountains – experienced during the writing of her new book, Underground Lovers: Encounters with Fungi.
This workshop is supported by Fungi Feastival Assoc.
Further workshops can be viewed at this link.
DATE: FRIDAY 30 JUNE 2023
SAVE THE DATE!
LOCATION: Central Tilba Big Hall, Bate Street, Central Tilba
TIME: 7pm – 8:45pm
MORE INFO: Annette Kennewell akennewell@netspace.net.au