Regional project · Biodiversity
Interfungi
An intergenerational network of fungi observers
About the project
Interfungi was a citizen science project on mushroom picking in Aragon, a hugely popular pastime in Aragonese society and one of the most widespread in Europe. It was coordinated by the Agrifood Research and Technology Centre of Aragon (CITA), in collaboration with Fundación Ibercivis and with support from FECYT and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation.
The project created a network of observers made up of amateur pickers with long experience of their local woodlands. Using an app, participants sent in information about their foraging trips.
With these data, the research team could estimate variables on the phenology, yield and quality of the main mushroom species of socio-economic interest, and assess the state of the production areas, for example with maps of picking pressure.
Interfungi also set out to pass the traditional knowledge of older people in rural areas on to younger generations. At the same time, grandchildren helped their grandparents use the apps and social media needed to contribute data.
Project objectives
- Improve knowledge, sustainable use and the value of wild edible fungi in Aragon’s rural woodlands.
- Preserve the traditional knowledge of mushrooms held by older people in rural areas and help pass it on to the next generation.
- Encourage the exchange of knowledge between rural and urban communities.
- Generate data to help understand and protect Aragon’s mushrooms and the state of their production areas.
- Take the project’s information into schools.
The role of Ibercivis
Ibercivis was responsible for creating, designing and launching the project’s app, which was used to collect data and information on mushroom picking. It also took part in the public launch of the project and in its dissemination.
Our activities
- Design and development of the Interfungi app for recording and sending mycological data.
- Presentation of the project and the app at Mycoforum (Albarracín, 4 November 2021), together with CITA, including a trial of the app in the Mycological Park of the Comunidad de Albarracín, in collaboration with mycological associations from Aragon and the MicoAragón expert panel.
- Outreach activities for families at the open day of the Edificio Pignatelli for Aragon Day (24 April 2022), with information on the types of mushrooms found in Aragon.
Project details
Type of project
Regional
Duration
2021 – 2022
Funding
Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT) – Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation
Consortium
Agrifood Research and Technology Centre of Aragon (CITA), Fundación Ibercivis
Area
Biodiversity
