Date: Sunday, September 4, 2022
Time: 11am - 4pm
Location: Circle Acres Preserve, Grove Blvd, Austin, TX 78741
Join us for a volunteer day at the Myco Research Station at Circle Acres Preserve in Southeast Austin, and help the Central Texas Mycological Society kick off a new program called Healthy Soils, Healthy Trees! organized in partnership with Ecology Action Texas, Healthy Soils, Healthy Trees is a community science and art initiative exploring the connections between soil health, urban forests and mycology.
Can’t make this event? Sign-up here to stay in the loop.
Through the upcoming year CTMS will be organizing educational workshops, public art, and launching a new community science project to learn how fungi can improve local soil health, and the resiliency of Austin’s urban forest. On this first volunteer day (one of many) we’ll be preparing the Myco Research Station for a facelift by clearing out debris, cleaning up the space, and planning future research efforts. Join us on Sunday and connect with the Healthy Soils team to learn more about how you can get involved in the project, and start learning about how fungi can be a perfect partner in your next garden or tree planting project.
All volunteers must register and complete a waiver form.
Items to bring: Water, mosquito spray, sunscreen, work gloves, clippers
Parking: Myco Research Station is located at Circle Acres Preserve. The best access to the preserve is through Roy G. Guerrero Park off of Grove Boulevard. Park in the lot located at 508 Grove Blvd. See the map for directions, parking lot location, and how to find the trail entrance.
Learn more about Healthy Soils, Healthy Trees:
Healthy Soils, Healthy Trees (HSHT) is a community science and art initiative organized by Central Texas Mycological Society exploring the connections between soil health, urban forests and mycology. Working in partnership with Ecology Action Texas, the project will activate the Myco Research Station at Circle Acres Preserve with hands-on workshops, public art, and a community science effort to investigate how mycorrhizae fungi can be used to improve urban forest resiliency.
The project seeks to:
Foster stewardship and learning about urban forestry and mycology through public hands-on workshops. Join us for 4 seasonal soil building events that will range from composting demonstrations to tree care workshops.
Enhance the Myco Research Station with public artworks and educational resources that communicate the importance of urban forest resiliency and the critical role fungi play in supporting soil and tree health.
Launch a community science pilot project to understand the potential benefits of saprophytic and symbiotic root fungi (mycorrhizae) for Austin’s urban forest
Why HSHT? With extreme heat, drought and flooding expected to increase over the coming decade, Austin’s urban forest will face significant challenges. This is particularly critical in areas such as East Austin which has some of the lowest canopy coverage rates across the City and may be more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and urbanization. The HSHT initiative will explore ways to address this through community-based science, art and education focused on the connections between soil health, urban forests and mycology in Central Texas.