Editor’s Note

Before their ecological relevance and unique properties were revealed to me, my earliest memory of fungi was as a whimsical toadstool in the background of a fairytale book. Growing up, I also saw them as decorations on fallen tree trunks or as ephemeral mushrooms that mysteriously unearthed themselves after a thunderstorm. In all their forms, these intriguing and lesser-known species appeared almost like magic. Later, I would come to realise that their complex underground networks, rich history across cultures, many uses, and vital ecological functions only make them profoundly more magical.

This issue, guest edited by Elizabeth Barron, welcomes you to an exploration of the familiar yet fantastical world of fungi. The authors bring their diverse perspectives, experiences, and learnings from the field of fungal conservation. To reflect the fungal spirit of symbiosis, the artists in this issue have created mixed-media illustrations—combining two or more visual media to make something new. We hope you find the insights in these articles as exciting as we have.

- Greta Ann Sam