As of 2017, it was estimated that we knew about 3% of 3 million fungi species. Community mycologist Mandie Quark opened her talk by noting that number is hotly debated among mycologists, but the point remains: the fungal kingdom is a mystery to us, especially considering that 98-99% of plant species have been formally described by scientific standards. What you can do to help? Pick an in-tact fungus. Dry it. Send it off for sequencing. Really, it’s that simple. The Ohio Mushroom DNA Lab provides free DNA sequencing, and the Summer Continental MycoBlitz is currently on from now until August 18 as part of their mission to document all macrofungi in North America. Why get involved? The more fungi we map, the more we understand about environment, from the mycorrhizal trees to the soil composition. Grants are given to causes that have active interest. What better way to show active interest than to mail in 95 specimens? (Seriously, Quark told us she collected 95 specimens in 4 days in North Carolina. It’s possible!) Her talk specifically focused on Colorado fungal DNA mapping, of which there is surprisingly few compared to the abundant mushroom species found. So if you live in Colorado, Quark especially wants your dried finds.