2015–2019 Chicago Mycobiota
The local research program continues documenting the Chicago Mycobiota through long term plot studies and related analysis and herbarium work plus major involvement with the Illinois Mycological Association. The McHenry County Conservation District kindly renewed contracts with Patrick in 2015 and 2016 for more mushroom surveys at two sites. Several museum volunteers assist with herbarium work, identifications, and microscopy. Recent work on chanterelles across the country prompted us to investigate our local species and resulted in us publishing the new Cantharellus chicagoensis in 2016.
Illinois Mycological Association
Patrick increased his education, research and collections work with the Illinois Mycological Association as Scientific Advisor on forays and other events. He accepted the club's request to serve as President in 2015 and continued in 2016 and 2017. The IMA provided support for five workshops in 2015, another five in 2016, and in 2017 a joint program with the Wisconsin Mycological Society. The IMA is a participant in the mycoflora work of the Fungal Diversity Survey and members are posting photo observations to iNaturalist.org.
Wisconsin Fungal Research
Patrick joined with friends and colleagues that are making yearly trips to northern Wisconsin in summer and fall. These forays with Dr. Britt Bunyard and the Wisconsin Mycological Society provide an opportunity for us to document the fungal diversity of the mixed conifer-hardwood forests up north. An earlier trip that Jay Justice took with Britt yielded the new Cantharellus deceptivus published by Dr. Buyck et al. (2016). The very successful 2017 annual foray with the North American Mycological Association was organized by Britt, Patrick, Emily Stone (Cable Natural History Museum), and many volunteers. Further trips are needed to document the rare and new species of northern mushrooms.
Community Science at Somme Woods [inactive]
Patrick began an IMA volunteer research project at Somme Woods in Northbrook, Illinois. Oak woodlands are a major habitat across the Chicago Region and county forest preserves are actively managing and restoring these ecosystems. This is the first site where we investigate fungal diversity with European buckthorn.