NUF gives community scientists the tools to collect specimens for science and research. Vouchered collections are a valuable resource of diversity and distribution of macrofungi that can be used for research and conservation. Observations without collections are still helpful.

Launched in summer 2021, Northern Utah Funga (NUF) is MSU's community science project that helps document fungal biodiversity for science and conservation.

We add our high quality macrofungi observations to the Northern Utah Funga iNaturalist project. All MSU Members are welcome to NUF forays (yes, even children!). We make collections using free, downloadable FunDiS Field Data Slips and iNaturalist.

NUF is a local project of the Fungal Diversity Survey (FunDiS), North America's only nonprofit for fungal biodiversity and conservation.

NUF intends to contribute high quality macrofungi (mushroom) observations to FunDiS’ diversity database using iNaturalist. NUF intends to describe the macrofungi of northern Utah, including rare, potentially-threatened, and under-documented species. NUF plans to maintain a collection of northern Utah fungi for use in DNA sequencing, vouch specimens in curated fungaria, and lead mycology community science in northern Utah.

What is Funga? The word Funga parallels existing terminology of Flora and Fauna, and refers to the diversity of fungi in a place.

2022 NEWS

We DNA sequenced thirty specimens in 2021.

So far, we have documented over 1,430 observations of 269 species.

Fifty-three incredible mycophiles have helped us document the fungal biodiversity in Utah.

2023 NEWS

The project numbers have risen to 2,809 observations of 362 species.

75 incredible mycophiles have helped us document the fungal biodiversity in Utah so far.

Download PowerPoint slides.

How to join the NUF community science project

Become an MSU member
Download the iNaturalist App on your smartphone and register for an account.
Search for project “Northern Utah Funga NUF”.
Click “Join” to join the project.
Attend our surveys. All MSU members will receive email invitations about surveys.