You may have also noticed, but the last few weeks there were very few mushrooms to be seen. Normally mushrooms appear above the ground in August, but due to the dry summer this took longer. After last week’s rain, they are popping up again.
Joop Verburg is chairman of Natuurvereniging Zuidwolde and an expert in the field of mushrooms. “We know about 2,500 discovered mushrooms in Drenthe. And these mushrooms have a very important function. But that they are now a month later, that’s not so bad,” he explains.
“You can divide them into two categories. Mushrooms that break down; they are important for breaking down trees, branches or leaves, for example. And then you have mushrooms that provide the supply of water and nutrients for trees, plants and herbs,” says Verburg. But the fungi also do this when they are not visible.
Because there is so much to learn about mushrooms and because they are so important, the nature association organizes an excursion every year. “I always go out with the children, that’s what I like the most,” laughs the chairman. “We organize this because nature is under pressure. It is important to involve children close to nature at a young age and to instill in them a love for nature. And mushrooms are a good example of that.”
Quite a few species are found during the excursion. “We find approximately between 60 and 80 types of mushrooms,” says Verburg. The excursion is next Saturday and everyone can participate. It starts at half past nine at the Tonckenhuys car park in Zuidwolde.
Curious about the rest of Joop’s story? Watch the video below.