July 15 @ 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Fungi play an essential role in ecosystem functioning, yet they remain largely overlooked and underrepresented in biodiversity conservation efforts. While scientific knowledge is advancing rapidly, significant challenges remain in documenting, protecting, and integrating fungi into conservation policies and practices.
This webinar will provide an overview of the current state of fungal conservation in Québec, highlighting the key issues facing this kingdom that is still too often forgotten. The speakers will also present initiatives to advance fungal knowledge and conservation in Québec, including field inventories, citizen science projects, and innovative collaborations among conservation organizations.
In this context, the webinar will showcase the partnership between Mycosphaera and Nature Québec, which are working together to better document fungal diversity in old-growth forests and in areas proposed for protected status in Quebec, while raising public awareness about the importance of fungi for ecosystem health.
Join us to discover why biodiversity conservation cannot be truly complete without recognizing and conserving the fungal kingdom.
Registration link coming soon!
Jonathan Cazabonne is a mycologist and a second-year Ph.D. candidate at Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT), where he studies the diversity and conservation of soil fungi in old-growth forests. He holds a bachelor’s degree in organismal biology from Université de Toulouse (France) and a master’s degree in ecology and forest ecosystem management from UQAT. Beyond his research, Jonathan is the co-founder and president of Mycosphaera, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing fungal knowledge and conservation in Québec. Through his research and community engagement, he works to help build a world where fungi receive the recognition, attention, and protection they deserve.
Anthony Drouin has been a biodiversity and forest project manager at Nature Québec since 2024. He holds a bachelor’s degree in natural and managed environments and a master’s degree in forest sciences from Université Laval, where he explored a method for assessing the sustainability of forest management practices. Throughout his professional career, Anthony has gained experience in private land conservation issues, land-use harmonization processes in public forests, and the development of protected areas.