The BMS needs YOU!

[hamadryad]

dear fungi lovers, I am probably preaching to the already converted here but for anyone who loves fungi and wants to see them preserved please consider membership of the British Mycological Society.

new recruits to membership are dwindling, especially younger member numbers and the society is doing so much great work for fungi, everyone who can should join up and show support for the society even if not in a full participating capacity.

The BMS really does need all those that love fungi for whatever reason and from all levels to join up and help them continue to work for the benefit of mycology.

Please give it some thought if you are not already a member.

thanks for your time.

Tony

[fairplay]

By Hamadryad

"The BMS really does need all those that love fungi for whatever reason and from all levels to join up and help them continue to work for the benefit of mycology".

I appreciate your enthusiasm, but don't get too carried away.

Neil.

[fairplay]

Best I clarify my previous post.

"Membership is open to anyone with an interest in any aspect of mycology".
(From 'About the Society' - BMS)

I have been a member of the BMS since 1993, in 2006, I also joined the Association of British Fungal Groups (ABFG) which brought sufficient ABFG members together in Suffolk to form the Suffolk Fungus Group and I became the foray leader.

This year, The BMS are holding their annual week long foray in Suffolk, and the organiser has very kindly told me that SFG members are very welcome to join us on any of our forays.
Thankfully, as far as I can make out, none of the SFG members appear to be foodies or druggies and none bring baskets back full of 'liquorice all-sorts'

Now imagine a hypothetical scenario where an SFG member was to join in a BMS foray and tag on to an experienced BMS member and come across large clump of an unusual fungus, let's say Lentinellus cochleatus. It is identified and it's characteristics are carefully described to the novice who then asks "Can you eat it" ? Reluctantly/innocently he answers "Yes, but this is the first record from this county for x years"

They move on, but then the BMS member sees that the novice has gone back to the Lentinellus and taken not just enough for a meal, but the entire clump. If I was that BMS member, I would be very disheartened, furthermore, as foray leader of the SFG, I would be extremely embarrassed and would have strong words to say.

I have absolutely no authority to speak on behalf of the BMS, but I am sure most members would be only too pleased to help a beginner, even if he is just a foodie, in the hope that he/she will come to appreciate the true value of fungi for the fascinating mysterious organisms they are.

Neil.

[thelawnet]

So er, why should people join the BMS rather than the ABFG?

The ABFG website certainly makes the ABFG seem more accessible than the BMS' website does.

[fairplay]

You are now getting involved in something you know nothing about and to which I cannot go into as I need to stay neutral for obvious reasons.

Neither do I intend to be a spokesperson for either party who both have their merits.

Neil.

[thelawnet]

Originally Posted by fairplay

You are now getting involved in something you know nothing about and to which I cannot go into as I need to stay neutral for obvious reasons.

Why are you accusing me of getting involved in something? There have been two different groups mentioned in this thread, no explanation of their differences, or anything to guide people as to where their limited energies might be best directed. I'm sure most people woud 'know nothing about' either of them.

Originally Posted by fairplay

Neither do I intend to be a spokesperson for either party who both have their merits.

So why did you bother to respond at all?

Whatever happens/happened I'm sure that this is not something worth getting het up about. Relax and enjoy the shrooms, no wait that might give people the wrong idea: relax and enjoy the fungi.

Constructive mycological society related comments welcomed.....

[fairplay]

Pardon ?

Let's put this a little more simply for you.

You are becoming involved in something you do not know the background of.

Now that's not being rude to you, and I am certainly not getting 'het up' about anything, but just simply saying you do not understand the background to why something was raised in another thread.

End of.

Neil.

[thelawnet]

Originally Posted by fairplay

Pardon ?

Let's put this a little more simply for you.

You are becoming involved in something you do not know the background of.

Let me try again, since you didn't understand my last post.

There have been two groups mentioned here. The OP said 'come join the BMS', and then I asked 'why not the ABFG instead?'. Whether or not there is 'background', doesn't help with the question 'Which one should I join'. There are lots of people who buy fungi id books, go along to fungi forays, who ask questions on here, etc. who might be interested in the BMS or ABFG, and 'You are becoming involved in something you do not know the background of' doesn't further that in any way.

If someone were to ask me 'Would you recommend Product X or Product Y' in a professional capacity, I would say 'I would recommend X if you do this and this, but Y if you do that and that, personally I use X but it depends on your preferences.' I would very much try to avoid mentioning any acrimonious history between X and Y, because IME it would tend to put people off both products.

Now that's not being rude to you, and I am certainly not getting 'het up' about anything, but just simply saying you do not understand the background to why something was raised in another thread.

I would hope that past threads can be put in the past.

End of.

Indeed.

[FungiJohn]

We have been here before and it ended in disaster and Neil is only protecting us from a repeat.

You have a choice the BMS or ABFG or both. It’s your choice.

I will now close the thread … life is just too short

John