‘Save our mushrooms’: plea from Northampton Uni student after rare find
Environmental Science student uncovered the endangered fungi at Stanwick Lakes
The discovery of a rare 'wrinkled peach' mushroom by University of Northampton's Tom Haddon at Stanwick Lakes is sparking a renewed focus on fungi conservation and biodiversity in Northamptonshire.
Tom, a mature student in Environmental Science, made the remarkable discovery during the final day of his eight-week fieldwork, marking his 2,000th specimen and forming a key part of his dissertation research on macrofungi abundance in conservation-managed areas.
Reflecting on the day he discovered the rare mushroom, Tom said, "I made a noise that must have upset dogs for at least a mile or so around the uni. I was squeaking like a parrot. I was so happy.
''It felt like suddenly my dissertation project meant more than just the qualification.'' He added.
The wrinkled peach, vulnerable to extinction, typically grows on elm and ash trees – both of which have dramatically declined in recent decades due to disease and habitat loss, threatening locally dependent fungi.
Tom explained, "We lose the trees, we lose the mushrooms, we lose an awful lot," emphasising the need for conservation efforts to prevent biodiversity loss.
Tom says he's now on a mission to help ''save mushrooms'' and believes the crucial role they play in our ecosystem is often overlooked, he said: ''If mushrooms and fungi had never bothered to evolve millions of years ago, we wouldn’t have soil and without soil, we have nothing. There would be no farming, not much to do.”
“With no fungi, there is no life that we know of.''
Addressing future conservation to protect fungi species, Tom shared his optimism for community-based actions, stating, "Anything small that helps build to a bigger, brighter picture is positive."
Tom advocates for community engagement with local ecosystems, stating, "One of the best things a community can do is simply to take the time to look," encouraging residents to support conservation through awareness and active participation in nature reserves.
He’s now calling for better protection of rare fungi, and says many of us can help them thrive in our own back gardens: “Something that I would love for people to think about doing would actually be creating a mushroom garden in their own homes.
''All you have to do is leave some fresh wood, a small log, even firewood if you want, in a patch of the garden where there’s a bit of moss and it’s a bit damper, and see what grows.”
Although most are safe to touch, Tom advises against picking or consuming mushrooms for safety reasons. Tom said: “There is not a mushroom that we know of in England that will poison you by touching it. You have to eat it. So don’t eat it and you will be perfectly safe.”
He also suggests individuals report unusual finds to the British Mycological Society: "You pop them an e-mail with a funny looking mushroom on, and if it's rare, they'll let you know."
Tom added, "What’s out there in nature should stay there in nature and do its job," urging individuals to appreciate rather than consume wild mushrooms.