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European Council for Conservation of Fungi
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EUROPEAN COUNCIL FOR CONSERVATION OF FUNGI Island of Vilm, Riigen, Germany, 13-18 September 1991
The European Council for the Conservation of Fungi was formally proposed and adopted in 1989 at the Xth Congress of European Mycologists in Tallinn, Estonia. The Council consists of official representatives from all European countries, together with corresponding members active in the field of conservation. The following executive committee was appointed until September 1992: Dr E J M Arnolds (Chairman, The Netherlands), Dr A E Jansen (Secretary, The Netherlands), Dr BIng (UK), Prof Dr H Kreisel (Germany), Prof Dr M Lawrynowicz (Poland), and Dr D N Pegler (IUCN Species Survival Commission). Briefly the aims of the Council are to (a) coordinate research on fungi in their natural habitats; (b) stimulate publications, especially Red Data Lists; (c) establish national and international contacts; (d) support national and regional conservation activities. It reports at both the Congress of European Mycologists and the International Mycological Congress. In addition, residential field meetings are held between congresses. Following the first field meeting at Lodz, Poland, the second meeting was held in 1991 in eastern Germany. At the kind invitation of Prof Hans Kreisel, the Council assembled on the Island of Vilm, off Rugen, due north of Greifswald. Vilm (Slavic for Ulmus) is a small island, about 1 km off-shore, in the Baltic Sea. Comprising 94 hectares, it is 2.5 km long and between 100 and 1800 m wide, with two outcrops connected by a narrow sand-spit. One of the oldest beech woods in Germany is to be found here, and no forestry has taken place for 400 years. The island is uninhabited, and for 30 years was closed to the public. Until recently the only buildings were the property of the former DDR government, but these are now converted into the Naturschutzakademie Insel Vilm (Nature Protection Academy, Island of Vilm), a centre for education and research into nature conservation, run by the Federal Environment Ministry. The ECCF was one of the first international groups to visit this centre. About 25 representatives from thirteen countries, Germany, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the UK, assembled for a four-day meeting. Information on the island was provided by the Director, Dr H D Knapp, and by Prof Kreisel. Although conditions had been exceptionally dry, two days were spent investigating the mycoflora, firstly on the island, and then on the much larger island of Rugen. Fungi were few, but of particular interest were Polyporus tuberaster, growing from its large pseudosclerotium, and the relative abundance of Amanita phalloides. Two days were devoted to discussion and reports on the conservation activities. One day considered the situation of decline and conservation in European countries. Eef Arnolds reported on the mapping programme currently undertaken in the Netherlands (see pfi], involving 200 participants and 300,000 records, together with the preparation of a Red List of 944 species and also the establishment of new forest reserves. Sigvard Svensson (Lund) informed the meeting on similar schemes in Sweden, with a Red List of 550 species, updated every five years including details of threatened localities, the initiation of a mapping scheme, and fact sheets on individual species relating to land management. Rostislav Fellner (Prague) spoke of major decline in Czechoslovakia, probably due to air pollution (sulphur dioxide and nitrogen deposition), with mapping concentrated on toxic species, and the production of regional Red Lists. Andre Fraiture (Meise) stated that although there was neither protection law nor a Red List available for Belgium and Luxembourg, a computerised mapping system had been initiated at the Jardin Botanique National, Meise, and a second fascicle of 52 distribution maps was now available.
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Discussion indicated a surprising increase in poroid basidiomycetes throughout Europe, possibly due to a reduced use of fallen timber. Esteri Ohenoya (Univ Oulu) reported on a Red List of 325 species considered as threatened in Finland, and the immediate tasks of forest protection, whilst Heikki Kotiranta (Nat Cons Res Progr, Helsinki) spoke of the programme informing land owners of endangered species resulting in the requirement of legal permission to redevelop such land. Jean Keller (Neuchatel) reported that local, not national, laws controlled mushroom picking in Switzerland, and of the commencement of a new inventory by the Swiss Mycological Society, Hans Kreisel and W Winterhoff (Germany) referred to the existence of 2193 distribution maps prepared by Krieglsteiner, offering a basis to measure any future decline, and of recent collaboration between eastern and western German mycologists to establish criteria of a new Red List. Bruce Ing (Chester, BMS Conservation Officer) reported on the British mapping scheme leading to a multipart atlas, a programme for investigating under-recorded sites, a forthcoming meeting on urban fungi, and controls on commercial picking, Klaus Heiland (Oslo, Norway), and Jan Vesterholt (Hedenstad, Denmark) spoke on Red Lists, Maria Lawrynowicz (Lodz, Poland) referred to the problems of commercial picking and exporting of edible mushrooms, and Claudia Perini (Siena, Italy) confirmed the lack of any List for Italy. David Pegler (Kew, IUCN Species Survival Commission) informed the meeting of the Council of Europe, Berne Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats which currently listed no fungi in Appendix I on protected species. Species included became protected by the signatory countries and the articles of the Convention. The ECCF was urged to prepare a preliminary List on 'endangered or threatened species' for Europe, which would be submitted at the end of 1991. Species chosen should (a) represent a range of habitats, (b) spread throughout taxonomic groups, (c) have visual appeal and be readily recognisable. Lengthy debate ensued over the next 48h before the following list was finalised, with the first ten species having priority: Poronia punctata, Entoloma madidum, Myriostoma coliforme, Torrendia pu1chella, Armillaria ectypa, Aurantioporus croceus, Boletus regius, Laricifomes officinalis, Hericium clathroides, Sarcosoma globosum, Buglossoporus pulvinus, Hygrocybe spadicea, Chamonixia mucosa, Hydnellum geogenium, Sarcodon ioides, Boletopsis leucomelaena, Scutiger pescaprae, Cortinarius praestans, Battarraea phalloides, Haploporus odorus, Microglossum olivaceum, Clavaria zollingeri, Ramaria fagetorum, Amanita friabilis, Catathelasma imperiale, Lepiota lignicola, Tulostoma niveum, Piptoporus pseudobetulinus, Loweomyces fractipes, Holwaya mucida, Leucopaxillus tricolor, Squamanita scheieri, Tricholoma colossus, Hohenbuehelia longipes, Ramariopsis pu1chella. The last day was devoted to the presentation of case histories. These included Hoiland (lignicolous fungi used to measure forest decline), Fellner (measurement of ectomycorrhizal fungi in stands of Picea, Fagus and Pinus), Keller (evolution of fungi in specialised vegetation types), Arnolds (changing Dutch mycoflora, emphasising the need for numerical data), Vesterholt (Phlegmacium as an indicator of endangered localities), Perini (forest degradation in southern Tuscany), Johannes Schmidt [Saarbrucken, Germany, on standardization techniques comparing different ecosystems), Ohenoja (threatened fungi in Finland), Jansen (acid rain influence on mycorrhizas of Douglas fir). In the final session there was discussion on publicising the role of the Council, on a proposal to hold the next field meeting in Switzerland in 1993, and the preparations for the next formal meeting of ECCF at the XI Congress of European Mycologists, Kew in September 1992 where the Council will report in open session. Prof Kreisel is to be congratulated on his choice of venue and for the excellence of the facilities provided.
EUROPEAN COUNCIL FOR CONSERVATION OF FUNGI Island of Vilm, Riigen, Germany, 13-18 September 1991
The European Council for the Conservation of Fungi was formally proposed and adopted in 1989 at the Xth Congress of European Mycologists in Tallinn, Estonia. The Council consists of official representatives from all European countries, together with corresponding members active in the field of conservation. The following executive committee was appointed until September 1992: Dr E J M Arnolds (Chairman, The Netherlands), Dr A E Jansen (Secretary, The Netherlands), Dr BIng (UK), Prof Dr H Kreisel (Germany), Prof Dr M Lawrynowicz (Poland), and Dr D N Pegler (IUCN Species Survival Commission). Briefly the aims of the Council are to (a) coordinate research on fungi in their natural habitats; (b) stimulate publications, especially Red Data Lists; (c) establish national and international contacts; (d) support national and regional conservation activities. It reports at both the Congress of European Mycologists and the International Mycological Congress. In addition, residential field meetings are held between congresses. Following the first field meeting at Lodz, Poland, the second meeting was held in 1991 in eastern Germany. At the kind invitation of Prof Hans Kreisel, the Council assembled on the Island of Vilm, off Rugen, due north of Greifswald. Vilm (Slavic for Ulmus) is a small island, about 1 km off-shore, in the Baltic Sea. Comprising 94 hectares, it is 2.5 km long and between 100 and 1800 m wide, with two outcrops connected by a narrow sand-spit. One of the oldest beech woods in Germany is to be found here, and no forestry has taken place for 400 years. The island is uninhabited, and for 30 years was closed to the public. Until recently the only buildings were the property of the former DDR government, but these are now converted into the Naturschutzakademie Insel Vilm (Nature Protection Academy, Island of Vilm), a centre for education and research into nature conservation, run by the Federal Environment Ministry. The ECCF was one of the first international groups to visit this centre. About 25 representatives from thirteen countries, Germany, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the UK, assembled for a four-day meeting. Information on the island was provided by the Director, Dr H D Knapp, and by Prof Kreisel. Although conditions had been exceptionally dry, two days were spent investigating the mycoflora, firstly on the island, and then on the much larger island of Rugen. Fungi were few, but of particular interest were Polyporus tuberaster, growing from its large pseudosclerotium, and the relative abundance of Amanita phalloides. Two days were devoted to discussion and reports on the conservation activities. One day considered the situation of decline and conservation in European countries. Eef Arnolds reported on the mapping programme currently undertaken in the Netherlands (see pfi], involving 200 participants and 300,000 records, together with the preparation of a Red List of 944 species and also the establishment of new forest reserves. Sigvard Svensson (Lund) informed the meeting on similar schemes in Sweden, with a Red List of 550 species, updated every five years including details of threatened localities, the initiation of a mapping scheme, and fact sheets on individual species relating to land management. Rostislav Fellner (Prague) spoke of major decline in Czechoslovakia, probably due to air pollution (sulphur dioxide and nitrogen deposition), with mapping concentrated on toxic species, and the production of regional Red Lists. Andre Fraiture (Meise) stated that although there was neither protection law nor a Red List available for Belgium and Luxembourg, a computerised mapping system had been initiated at the Jardin Botanique National, Meise, and a second fascicle of 52 distribution maps was now available.
4
Discussion indicated a surprising increase in poroid basidiomycetes throughout Europe, possibly due to a reduced use of fallen timber. Esteri Ohenoya (Univ Oulu) reported on a Red List of 325 species considered as threatened in Finland, and the immediate tasks of forest protection, whilst Heikki Kotiranta (Nat Cons Res Progr, Helsinki) spoke of the programme informing land owners of endangered species resulting in the requirement of legal permission to redevelop such land. Jean Keller (Neuchatel) reported that local, not national, laws controlled mushroom picking in Switzerland, and of the commencement of a new inventory by the Swiss Mycological Society, Hans Kreisel and W Winterhoff (Germany) referred to the existence of 2193 distribution maps prepared by Krieglsteiner, offering a basis to measure any future decline, and of recent collaboration between eastern and western German mycologists to establish criteria of a new Red List. Bruce Ing (Chester, BMS Conservation Officer) reported on the British mapping scheme leading to a multipart atlas, a programme for investigating under-recorded sites, a forthcoming meeting on urban fungi, and controls on commercial picking, Klaus Heiland (Oslo, Norway), and Jan Vesterholt (Hedenstad, Denmark) spoke on Red Lists, Maria Lawrynowicz (Lodz, Poland) referred to the problems of commercial picking and exporting of edible mushrooms, and Claudia Perini (Siena, Italy) confirmed the lack of any List for Italy. David Pegler (Kew, IUCN Species Survival Commission) informed the meeting of the Council of Europe, Berne Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats which currently listed no fungi in Appendix I on protected species. Species included became protected by the signatory countries and the articles of the Convention. The ECCF was urged to prepare a preliminary List on 'endangered or threatened species' for Europe, which would be submitted at the end of 1991. Species chosen should (a) represent a range of habitats, (b) spread throughout taxonomic groups, (c) have visual appeal and be readily recognisable. Lengthy debate ensued over the next 48h before the following list was finalised, with the first ten species having priority: Poronia punctata, Entoloma madidum, Myriostoma coliforme, Torrendia pu1chella, Armillaria ectypa, Aurantioporus croceus, Boletus regius, Laricifomes officinalis, Hericium clathroides, Sarcosoma globosum, Buglossoporus pulvinus, Hygrocybe spadicea, Chamonixia mucosa, Hydnellum geogenium, Sarcodon ioides, Boletopsis leucomelaena, Scutiger pescaprae, Cortinarius praestans, Battarraea phalloides, Haploporus odorus, Microglossum olivaceum, Clavaria zollingeri, Ramaria fagetorum, Amanita friabilis, Catathelasma imperiale, Lepiota lignicola, Tulostoma niveum, Piptoporus pseudobetulinus, Loweomyces fractipes, Holwaya mucida, Leucopaxillus tricolor, Squamanita scheieri, Tricholoma colossus, Hohenbuehelia longipes, Ramariopsis pu1chella. The last day was devoted to the presentation of case histories. These included Hoiland (lignicolous fungi used to measure forest decline), Fellner (measurement of ectomycorrhizal fungi in stands of Picea, Fagus and Pinus), Keller (evolution of fungi in specialised vegetation types), Arnolds (changing Dutch mycoflora, emphasising the need for numerical data), Vesterholt (Phlegmacium as an indicator of endangered localities), Perini (forest degradation in southern Tuscany), Johannes Schmidt [Saarbrucken, Germany, on standardization techniques comparing different ecosystems), Ohenoja (threatened fungi in Finland), Jansen (acid rain influence on mycorrhizas of Douglas fir). In the final session there was discussion on publicising the role of the Council, on a proposal to hold the next field meeting in Switzerland in 1993, and the preparations for the next formal meeting of ECCF at the XI Congress of European Mycologists, Kew in September 1992 where the Council will report in open session. Prof Kreisel is to be congratulated on his choice of venue and for the excellence of the facilities provided.