Alison Pouliot : Underground Lovers - A foray in fungal realms

Underground Lovers – A foray in fungal realms

It seems we are in something of a fungal turn. Once overlooked, fungi are the exhilarating new poster organisms reconfiguring our understanding of the natural word and capturing the public imagination. Although little known, the roots of almost every plant in the Australian landscape are intimately entwined with fungi. These clandestine relationships extend beyond trees to include every orchid and most shrubs and grasses. Symbioses are the secret to success in our highly variable climate and nutrient-deficient soils. Fungi not only help plants access water and nutrients, but also increase their resistance to drought and disease. They build architecture in soils, aerate them, and allow water to gently percolate to deeper horizons. Despite this, ‘the third F’ slips through ideas about nature and conservation that focus on flora and fauna. Fungi not only contravene the frameworks we use to understand life, but also inspire the innovative thinking needed to navigate an uncertain future. In this illustrated and interactive seminar Alison will share insights from over two decades spent in the field with fungi, both locally and across hemispheres. She will share some of the first-hand stories – from the Australian desert to Iceland’s glaciers to America’s Cascade Mountains – experienced during the writing of her new book, Underground Lovers: Encounters with Fungi.

Keynote Speaker – Alison Pouliot, BA (Philosophy), BSc Hons (Zoology), PhD (Mycology)

Alison is an environmental photographer, author and ecologist and has presented over 700 environmental seminars and workshops in Australia and internationally. Alison enjoys working with people from all walks of life to tap into their passions and ideas about the environment and environmental issues. Alison’s books, The Allure of Fungi, Wild Mushrooming and Underground Lovers will be available for purchase at her Seminar and Workshops. More information at www.alisonpouliot.com