Written by Clare Blencowe, Senior Editor: Field Mycology
The British Mycological Society’s long-running publication on fungal identification, recording and conservation – Field Mycology – is online, accessible to all and welcoming new readers.
Network News readers of a mycological persuasion may already be familiar with Field Mycology, the magazine published by the British Mycological Society (BMS) focused on the wild fungal diversity of the British Isles. It has been running since the year 2000 with a loyal readership among BMS members and the wider field mycology community.
After the magazine’s first Editor, Geoffrey Kibby, decided to stand down after an impressive 25-year stint, the BMS relaunched Field Mycology last year in a hybrid format – in print and online – under the editorship of Clare Blencowe.
Coinciding with the relaunch, Matt Wainhouse (Natural England) and Rich Wright (Cardiff University) have been writing a regular Fungal Futures column, sharing the latest news and developments in the world of fungal conservation, which has been a lively topic over the past 18 months. The July 2026 issue includes an article by them on the conference that took place in April this year: Fungal Conservation in Europe: Evidence to Action. It’s well worth a read – there were Witches’ Cauldron Sarcosoma globosum chocolates, as well as inspiring examples of fungus recording and conservation in action.
Also in the July 2026 issue you can find links to ‘Foundations in Field Mycology’ – new beginners’ resources for people interested in fungi, developed by the Buckinghamshire Fungus Group (BFG); this was the inspiration for the fine Stinkhorn Phallus impudicus on the front cover, photographed by BFG member Barry Webb.
New readers of the print magazine would be most welcome, and can subscribe via the BMS’ website. The publication is also freely available to all through the new Open Access journal website we launched last year, with the option to register as a Reader (via the button at the top right) to receive notifications every time a new issue is published. All the back issues are now available Open Access too, so there are plenty of fungal species described therein for mycologists, ecologists, naturalists and pan-species listers to look out for and record.
Navigating changes to a much-loved Society publication is a daunting business. We are grateful to our readers and authors for their patience during the transition, their ongoing support and the encouragingly steady flow of interesting submissions. The Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI) provided major inspiration with their British and Irish Botany journal and I would also like to thank the B&IB editorial team for sharing their experience with us in the early stages.
Network News readers can help the BMS promote the fascinating world of fungi by sharing this resource with your own biological recording networks and fungi-curious friends. For more information about the BMS, visit the BMS website.