Poisonous fungi
Autumn is a terrific time of year for fungi spotting. In previous years, participants have spotted over 60 different species on Loch Leven’s fungi forays.
SNH staff will be joined by local expert Richard Smith from Lochore Meadows Country Park on the hunt for fungi. Participants will see many different types of fungi, learn which ones are dangerous, and find out how humans have used fungi throughout history as medicines, hallucinogens and in cooking.
Fungi are also essential recyclers of the woodland, often feeding on nutrients in dead wood and organic matter, thereby opening up wooded areas for new growth.
The first walk will take place on Sunday, 18 September, from 2 to 5pm, starting at the Burleigh Sands car park. The second walk takes place on Sunday, 16 October, from 2 to 5 pm, starting at the Findatie car park. To book a place, phone the SNH reserve office on 01577 86 44 39.
Craig Nisbet, SNH reserve officer, said: “This is one of my favourite walks of the year; there are so many wacky and wonderful fungi. It’s amazing how many different types of fungi there are in the world – 200,000 species of fungi and over 3000 larger fungi in the UK – and how important they all are to the health of our woodlands.”
Lying beneath the shadow of the Lomond Hills, Loch Leven is the largest loch in lowland Scotland and one of the most important sites for waterfowl in Britain. A national nature reserve since 1964, its size and the richness and variety of habitats provide a unique environment that attracts not only the largest concentration of breeding ducks found anywhere in the UK, but also many thousands of migratory ducks, geese and swans. For walk descriptions of two walks at Loch Leven see the Walkhighlands website.