Richer than Gold: Biodiversity vs Industrial Mining

Join Dr. Roo Vandegrift for an exciting adventure into one of the last unlogged watersheds in western Ecuador to document the rich biodiversity that is threatened by mining. He and his international team of researchers have just returned from a National Geographic funded expedition into the heart of the cloud forest to help describe its wonders. Roo will share background on the fungal biodiversity of the region (with notes on other kingdoms and a special focus on the genus Xylaria), highlight preliminary findings from this recent adventure, and discuss current and future challenges for preserving this part of the planet. Expect beautiful images of wonderful organisms!