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Why Do We Overlook Fungi?

Fungi or mushrooms are often called the forgotten kingdom. But why has fungi been overlooked? And why does this matter? Join us to find the answers and learn how attitudes and awareness can be changed.

Date
24 Sep 2026
Time
19:00
Free
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Photograph shows a small mushroom growing on a tree stump, surrounded by moss
Fungi or mushrooms are often called the forgotten kingdom. Neither plants nor animals, fungi are a very important kingdom of their own. Yet so much of the world overlooks fungi and why they matter so much.
Why has fungi been overlooked? And why does this matter?
Join us to find the answers and learn how attitudes and awareness can be changed. Researcher and creative practitioner Gemma Hardy will explore how people perceive and connect with the living world, particularly forgotten wildlife like fungi. One not to be missed!
*If you are a member you should have already received your personal email invitation directly from our team (contact us if you haven’t!). New members will receive a link in your welcome email.

Speakers

Photograph shows a close up of a woman wearing a white shirt, she has long hair which is down and behind her shoulders

Gemma Hardy, Researcher and Creative Practitioner

Gemma Hardy is an interdisciplinary researcher and creative practitioner with an MSc in Sustainability from Anglia Ruskin University’s Global Sustainability Institute. Her work explores how people perceive and connect with the living world, particularly overlooked or ‘forgotten’ biodiversity. Published in the Journal of Biological Education, she develops creative, research-informed approaches to education and public engagement, and is currently exploring new ways of seeing, sensing, and connecting with fungi.

Photograph shows a woman standing in front of yellow flowering plants and trees in the background. She has dark curly, shoulder length hair and is wearing a blue t shirt with the logo 'Plantlife' on it.

Aileen Baird, Plantlife’s Conservation Officer for Fungi

Aileen is Senior Conservation Officer for Fungi at Plantlife, working on fungal conservation projects across the UK. She has worked in mycology for 9 years, with particular interests in the impacts of climate change on fungi, grassland fungi, rainforest fungi, and community science. Aileen’s work covers a diverse range of projects, including the new UK Network for Fungal Conservation, the community-science project Waxcap Watch, and on-the-ground conservation of threatened fungi. In her spare time, Aileen enjoys fell running, cycling, knitting, and teaching her toddler about the world of mycology!