Amanita robusta. A recently epitypified species of Amanita from Cameroon. This mushroom is found only on decaying termite mounds. Photo credit: Kennan Mighell. The watercolor image is credited to Marthe Goossens-Fontana.
Webinar Overview
Guyana Ganoderma. An array of native Ganoderma species from the Pakaraima Mountains of Guyana. Photo credit: Kennan Mighell.
Kennan Mighell will take us on a journey deep into the heart of the South American and the African wilderness, to a landscape bursting with diverse and colorful mushrooms, including many undescribed or long-forgotten species. Working closely with local indigenous people, Kennan and a team of researchers and guides are documenting hundreds of fungal types, many known only in these remote and spectacularly unique ecosystems. Kennan will introduce us to a few of the newest and most curious Amanita species to be documented by modern science. He will also discuss the dynamics of extended wilderness research expeditions and share stories and insights from his experiences with Earth's most ancient intact ecosystems and stunning cultures.
About our Panelists:
Kennan Mighell is a mushroom researcher, educator, cultivator, forager, and artist. Guided by a desire to expand our knowledge of the diversity of the fungal world and of wilderness exploration, he considers himself a feral mycologist with a mission to deepen the symbiotic relationships between humans and their fungal relatives. After graduating from Humboldt State University with a Master's degree in biology, he has worked as a cultivation/mycoremediation consultant, started a business wildcrafting products from forest mushrooms, and taught mycology classes in his home of Portland, Oregon. His latest project with the non-profit Madagascar Mobile Library aims to empower the Malagasy people by means of mushroom cultivation while continuing his tropical taxonomic explorations on behalf of conservation.
Laura Campos completed her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Biology at the University of Costa Rica. She’s collaborated on research projects investigating chemical ecology of social insects as well as the maintenance and identification of entomological collections, especially tropical insects and spiders. Laura also conducted her own research on topics such as biological pest control. Laura is fascinated by entomology and the interaction of insects with plants, fungi, and other organisms in the soil. She is cognizant that there is still much to learn about these fascinating and diverse groups, their roles in ecosystems, and how human activities impact their populations. Currently, Laura is developing content for the Soil Food Web School and training new consultants focused on a more agroecological perspective on farming.
Dr. Adam Cobb's passion for agriculture emerged during his several months of volunteer work on organic farms in New Zealand. His time in graduate school cultivated a broad vision for the restoration of living soils, as well as the power of research and community engagement to address global food production challenges. After completing his PhD at Oklahoma State University, Adam spent five years as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow and University Instructor. He joined the Soil Food Web School in 2021, following his dream to help regenerate soils, improve human nutrition, and heal our planet.
Dr. Elaine Ingham has advanced our knowledge about the soil food web for over 4 decades. Widely recognized as the world’s foremost soil biologist, she’s passionate about empowering people from all over the world to bring the soils in their community back to life.
About our Panelists:
Kennan Mighell is a mushroom researcher, educator, cultivator, forager, and artist. Guided by a desire to expand our knowledge of the diversity of the fungal world and of wilderness exploration, he considers himself a feral mycologist with a mission to deepen the symbiotic relationships between humans and their fungal relatives. After graduating from Humboldt State University with a Master's degree in biology, he has worked as a cultivation/mycoremediation consultant, started a business wildcrafting products from forest mushrooms, and taught mycology classes in his home of Portland, Oregon. His latest project with the non-profit Madagascar Mobile Library aims to empower the Malagasy people by means of mushroom cultivation while continuing his tropical taxonomic explorations on behalf of conservation.
Laura Campos completed her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Biology at the University of Costa Rica. She’s collaborated on research projects investigating chemical ecology of social insects as well as the maintenance and identification of entomological collections, especially tropical insects and spiders. Laura also conducted her own research on topics such as biological pest control. Laura is fascinated by entomology and the interaction of insects with plants, fungi, and other organisms in the soil. She is cognizant that there is still much to learn about these fascinating and diverse groups, their roles in ecosystems, and how human activities impact their populations. Currently, Laura is developing content for the Soil Food Web School and training new consultants focused on a more agroecological perspective on farming.
Dr. Adam Cobb's passion for agriculture emerged during his several months of volunteer work on organic farms in New Zealand. His time in graduate school cultivated a broad vision for the restoration of living soils, as well as the power of research and community engagement to address global food production challenges. After completing his PhD at Oklahoma State University, Adam spent five years as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow and University Instructor. He joined the Soil Food Web School in 2021, following his dream to help regenerate soils, improve human nutrition, and heal our planet.
Dr. Elaine Ingham has advanced our knowledge about the soil food web for over 4 decades. Widely recognized as the world’s foremost soil biologist, she’s passionate about empowering people from all over the world to bring the soils in their community back to life.
