Sustainable Mycological Alternatives in Natural forest and Conifer plantations in México

IRG/WP 12-10792

F Garza Ocañas, A Carrillo Parra

Concepts of mycoforests, mycosylviculture and their relationship to education, production and sustainable management of fungi in forests in México are analyzed. These concepts may be applied in Mexican protected areas, parks and forestry rural communities and improve socio-economic conditions. Two decades ago commerce of wild edible mushroom in the world was relatively small; mushroom industries were selling their products in a rather informal way. At the end of the 80´s important changes in mushroom commerce occurred; and it became organized in activities such as mushroom picking, cleaning, processing and packing and selling to retailers. Mushrooms prices may depend on factors such as: size, freshness, color, abundance, appearance, flavor, texture and familiarity of sellers and buyers with the species. Currently natural forests and forest plantations where mushrooms grow produce an important income in some European countries. Those countries have multifunctional forest practices integrating mushrooms into sustainable forest management. Mexicans living in most rural forestry conditions are used to picking and eating wild edible mushrooms every year. Natural forests in protected areas and national parks are ideal places for implementation of mycosilviculture and mycopark projects, mushroom courses may be offered to park officers and people living in rural communities inside parks and protected areas. These activities will serve to educate people and generate yearly income for them and these activities should be conducted in keeping with current laws to achieve sustainable management and conservation. Forest management programs and mushroom harvesting practices for commercial and home purposes use should be regulated to ensure sustainability. Thus, mushrooms pickers should buy mushroom picking permits, price to accord to their activities. Money obtained from these permits can be reinvested in forest and edible mushroom management that focuses on multifunctional conservation practices. Countries already applying some degree of mycosilviculture practices to mycoparks or truffle culture include France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, United States of America, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Chile, Israel and Morocco. Every year these countries produce significant income from wild edible mushrooms.


Keywords: sustainable mycology, education, mycoforests, mycosylviculture, mycoparks, México

Conference: 2012-07-08/13


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