To contribute to this statewide project all you need is a camera or smartphone and access to the internet to join the Fungi of Vermont project at iNaturalist.

  1. Create an account with iNaturalist. This is a free, worldwide platform to contribute and organize observations of any organism, and is used by amateurs and professionals alike. Our program uses iNaturalist to house its fungal observations. We recommend downloading the iNaturalist app to your smartphone as well.
  2. Visit and Join the Fungi of Vermont iNaturalist Project. This is the repository of all macrofungal iNaturalist observations documented within Vermont. All of your submissions to iNaturalist will automatically be added to this project. Click “Join” at the top right of the project page, and select “Yes, for any of my observations” under the section for “Trust this project with hidden coordinates?” This will ensure that project administrators will be able to see the coordinates of your observations.
  3. Take Photos Find a mushroom and take a set of photographs. You will need several clear and sharp images of the following parts of the mushroom in order for the observation to be identifiable and verifiable:
    • The Entire Mushroom (Fruiting Body) in its habitat and if possible including surrounding vegetation/plants and trees.
    • The Cap– This is to capture any surface features such as scales, hairs, and tissue, etc.
    • The Spore Surface (Gills, Pores, Teeth) – In most fleshy fungi the gills and pores are located on the underside of the cap. Pay special attention to the area where the gills/pores meet the stem. This will provide evidence of the ‘attachment’ style of gills.
    • The Stem (Top to Bottom)- We are looking for features on the surface of the stem such as a ring/annulus or patterns on the stem like webbing, reticulation, hairs, etc. This may also include features of the base of the stem such as a cup/volva. This may be done in one or more photos depending on the size of the stem.

    4. Upload Photos to iNaturalist. Photos may be taken and uploaded directly into the iNaturalist app from the field using your smartphone, or uploaded at a later date on a desktop if using a camera. Once your observation is uploaded, it will be automatically added to the ‘Fungi of Vermont’ iNaturalist project.