The fungal kingdom was officially recognized in 1969, yet phrases like \u201cflora and fauna\u201d<\/em> still dominate conversations, publications and even legal frameworks worldwide. This exclusion leaves fungi out of critical conservation efforts.<\/p>\n The FFF Initiative (Fauna, Flora, Funga), launched in 2021, seeks to correct this oversight, but Canada has had minimal engagement. The disparity is evident on platforms like iNaturalist<\/a> with just 1.1 million fungal observations in Canada compared to 9.7 million for fauna and 8 million for flora. Even with growing awareness, fungi fight for recognition.<\/p>\n The importance of fungi cannot be understated from nutrient cycling, supporting plant growth, and their contributions to food and medicine, but it was best summed up by George Christie in a 2024 EG News <\/em>(Rhode Island) article:<\/p>\n \u201cWhoa there, wait a minute!\u201d I hear you thinking. \u201cFungi? Why should I care about fungi? If I save the plants and animals, won\u2019t the fungi be fine as well?\u201d Actually, it\u2019s very likely the real truth is the other way around. Saving the fungi should be considered critical to saving the animals and the plants. We routinely say that, in nature, everything is connected. We forget to mention however, that the connection is most often fungal. ~George Christie in a 2024 EG News (Rhode Island)<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n If fungi are the unseen connectors of ecosystems, documenting them is the first step to understanding, and you can help with your citizen science observations. During the Great Canadian Bioblitz<\/a> (September 21 to 28, 2025), don\u2019t forget to keep an eye out for mushrooms! \u00a0Even if you\u2019re not sure what species you\u2019ve found, snap a photo and upload it to iNaturalist, the community can help with identification. Every observation counts!<\/p>\n To maximize your impact, here are a few quick tips for photographing mushrooms:<\/p>\n\n