Mountains & Mushrooms

Ian Chechet is a caver, the president of the Northern Rocky Mountain Grotto, and one of the last remaining true explorers. He is one of very few people who has been to the bottom of Tears of the Turtle Cave, the deepest cave in continental US and deepest limestone cave in America. It’s safe to say, it’s not for the light hearted!

Lauri, from Montana FWP, has studied the spread of the white-nose syndrome, a disease caused by a fungus that is decimating bat populations. However, there is some new hope for the bats.

Lily Clarke is an ethnomycologist who has studied morels and cordyceps around the world. We had a fascinating conversation about the mystery of morels, Nepalese people’s relationships with mushrooms, and her mycorestoration business.