MID-YORKSHIRE

FUNGUS GROUP

exploring the fungi of Yorkshire

Welcome to the website of the Mid-Yorkshire Fungus Group (MYFG). We are a small and friendly group of people who are interested in studying fungi. Some of us are beginners at fungi, some are very experienced, and many are in between. You're welcome to contact us if you want to know more.

About us

We aim to

encourage interest in fungi
find, identify and record fungi in the Mid-Yorkshire area (approximately within a 30 mile radius of Leeds)
promote the conservation of fungi

We organise

forays
talks and slide shows
identification evenings
socials

We offer:

regular newsletters
advice on books and equipment
help with specimens that puzzle you
help with microscopy

Membership

We welcome new members. The annual membership subscription runs from January to December. There are no part-year reductions, but if you join on or after 1 October in any year, your membership will run till the end of the following year. Our current fees are:

£10.00 for an ordinary [individual adult] member
£5.00 for a junior member [under 18], a student or anyone who is unwaged.
£15.00 inclusive for a family

If you would like to join, please print off a copy of this application form, fill it in, and follow the instructions at the bottom of the form. If you would like to discuss any aspect of membership, contact our Membership Secretary at the contact given below. Before applying for membership, please ensure that you read this disclaimer.

Contact us

MYFG committee members

Name	Role	Telephone	Email	Special contact for:
Adrian Bennett	President	01423 324011	adrian@dromomania2.outlook.com
Anne Bowers	Secretary	0113 275 8957		Details of our meetings and public forays
Mary Larner	Treasurer and Membership Secretary	0113 261 2589		Membership, and invitations to our forays
Mal Greaves	Recorder		recorder@lintoncottage.com	Notification of fungal finds
Archie McAdam	Maintainer of MYFG email group	01756 793359	helenandarchie@helenandarchie.f9.co.uk	News for circulation to the group; information about the Craven Section
Andy Woodall	Committee member	0113 258 6569
Alan Braddock	Committee member	01924 275631
Denise Carter	Committee member	07801 557388	denise_carter@me.com
Ian Forward	Committee member	01274 637171
Phil Swinhoe	Committee member	0113 285 4549	pswinster@yahoo.co.uk
Peter Duffy	Webmaster		webmaster@myfg.org.uk	anything concerning the MYFG web site

News

2020-12-05 - Geoglossum key update

Mal Greaves has been working on updates to the Geoglossum tombio key - the changes are now online here. Please access the key using the link under fungi and contact Mal or the webmaster if the key does not seem to be working as expected, or if you notice any errors.

2020-12-05 - Nidderdale AONB Wild Watch State of Nature report

Last year, we were asked by the Nidderdale AONB if we could provide a contribution on fungi for the Wild Watch project being run by the AONB. Your webmaster compiled a report of our experiences and findings over the years at two sites within the AONB - Swinsty Reservoir and Fountains Abbey - and submitted it: it was accepted, and the Wild Watch project State of Nature report is now online on the Nidderdale AONB web site. A summary of our report is included in the main report; the full text of our report is included separately.

2020-08-23

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE - PLEASE NOTE

Late last year, we did put together a programme of events for 2020. However, as we are all uncomfortably aware, events conspired against us!

In view of the current restrictions, we have most regretfully cancelled our entire programme for this year. Members are encouraged to continue mycological studies on their own, and if feasible, to visit any of our regular sites (assuming that they are open to the public) at approximately the "usual" dates that we hold forays at the sites. If by any chance you meet other members during your visit, please observe whatever social distancing rules are currently in force. Please report finds to the Recorder. If you find anything which you are unable to identify in the field, if possible please take photos of the location, and record the GPS reference: this may enable other members to visit the site and investigate further.

We all need to bear in mind that, from the scientific point of view, the key requirement is for continuity of records for the various sites.

If the current restrictions are eased during the autumn, it may become possible to hold group forays in some form or another. We are also looking into the possibility of holding online meetings via Zoom, and setting up a private facebook group, to allow discussion of finds and photo-sharing. Watch this space for further information, and/or contact a committee member for any updates.

Events

Unfortunately, due to the coronavirus situation, our entire programme of events for 2020 has been cancelled - please see the above news item for further details.

Keys

Pilobolus

Mal Greaves has submitted an article and new key for this genus, available here

Scutellinia and Geoglossum

For some years, Mal Greaves has been making a special study of the genus Scutellinia (eyelash fungi): based on his research, and using the Tombio ID visualisation framework, he has created an interactive key to the genus; following on from this work, he has also produced a similar key to the genus Geoglossum (earth tongues.) Both these keys are now available on this site:

For further information, or to discuss any issues whilst using the key, please contact Mal at recorder@lintoncottage.com.

Fungal records

The following are lists (in PDF format) of fungi found during some of our forays:

Site	Date
Otley Chevin	01/10/2016
Swinsty Reservoir	26/09/2015
	12/11/2016
	16/09/2017