Volunteer Day at the Myco Research Station

Date: Sunday, September 25, 2022

Time: 10 am - 1 pm

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.

Building on a successful clean up day, we’ll focus on replacing wooden posts and beams to secure the structure as well as planning for soil building and community science experiments. We are in particular need of volunteers who have carpentry skills and access to a pick-up truck. Please reach out to coordinator Chris Kennedy if you can lend your skills to help our fungi friends.

All volunteers must register and complete a waiver form.

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. There have been car break-ins at this city park so leave valuables at home and be sure to lock your vehicle.

Support is provided by the City of Austin’s Urban Forest Grant Program. Thank you!

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.