Mapping the Mycelial Underground

About the Facilitators

Whitney Bauck and Lauren Wilson are friends, neighbors, and dirt and fungi lovers living in Crown Heights. Lauren is a nature writer and nonprofit fundraiser who helped create the first-ever map of Manhattan’s coastal soils. Whitney is a journalist who covers climate change and environmental justice for publications like the Guardian and Atmos and is a member of the New York Mycological Society.

Objective

Come on a community dig to help map our local fungal networks! We want to learn and share about the unseen lives right under our feet. 

Focusing on Brower Park in Crown Heights, this session will start with a brief introduction to our local soil and mycorrhizal fungi, why they matter, and why we want to get to know them. Then we will dig in—literally—by taking samples together from a few different spots in the park with different kinds of soil. After the dig, Whitney and Lauren will sequence the fungal DNA in the samples with lab partners and eventually report our findings back to the group. 

No prior knowledge of soil science or fungi necessary. Just bring your curiosity and a willingness to get your hands dirty.

What's Included

• Some shared garden gloves and trowels 
• Bags and pens for labeling samples
• Materials to sanitize tools between digs
• Soil test kits

What to Bring

• If you have them: garden gloves, a trowel, magnifying tool (like a hand loupe) 
• Wear sunscreen and clothes/shoes that can get a little dirty
• Water or snacks as needed to fuel yourself

Disclaimer

This activity is rain or shine. If weather is inclement, we will email participants 2 hours before the start of the event.

*You will receive an email 2 days prior to the program with location and meet-up details.