PSA Profile: Exploring the origins of psychedelic science with David Babik, President of the Boston Mycological Club.
In this week’s slightly less-psychedelic feature Q+A, I spoke with Mr. David Babik, President of the Boston Mycological Club.
Founded in 1895, the Boston Mycological Club is actually the oldest continuous amateur mycological club in the world, with over 1300 current members strong.
A man of many talents and interests- with a refreshingly dry wit and an ever-genuine sense of curiosity - Mr. Babik truly embodies the phrase, “I was into mushrooms before they were cool” in the most earnest and irony-free way possible.
Gorsline: Describe your personal and professional background.
Babik: I’m a lawyer but run a mediation company. My interests are (Aside from Mushrooms) Bonsai Trees and fine Tequila.
How and when did you first become interested in mycology?
I hunted mushrooms with my father when I was a kid and rediscovered my passion for mycology about 12 years ago. I am mostly self-taught from books and from spending lots of time in the woods.
What's your favorite type of mushroom and why?
That depends on when you ask, I really love bi-color Boletes but there are so many unique and delicious varieties that it is hard to pick one. Hen of the Woods, chanterelles, cauliflower mushrooms and morels would all be high on the list.
Have you ever had a close call with a poisonous look-alike?
Many guidebooks have a section under each mushroom on edibility. Often, they are listed as “edible for some.” I don’t recommend trying these but I often do. I usually am not part of the “some” and often take a day or two to recover. There is a saying among mushroom hunters: “There are bold mushroom hunters and old mushroom hunters, but not old & bold mushroom hunters.”
Are there any recent discoveries or advancements in mycology that you find particularly fascinating?
Certainly, the research of medicinal benefits of using psychoactive fungi are really cutting edge stuff. Some of the recent research on using fungi to clean chemical toxins is also very encouraging.
With climate change posing a threat to many ecosystems, how do you see fungi being impacted?
Many Fungi only thrive in symbiotic relationships with certain trees. Many fungi have shown an ability to host jump. (When their host trees die off, they gradually switch to another species of tree). Fall is the best time of year for many varieties of fungi, and it seems like fall is getting longer, often well into December. Increases in the growing season allow us to discover some less frequently encountered species.
What are the core activities of the Boston Mycological Club?
Our main activity is leading guided mushroom walks for our members from late June to late October. This is a great way to learn the main types of fungi in our area. In addition to weekly walks, the club hosts talks by visiting mycologists in addition to lots of online lectures. We just had a 10 course banquet at Peach Farm restaurant in Chinatown. We do other culinary events throughout the year. We end the season with a mushroom themed banquet at EVOO restaurant in Cambridge.
“There are bold mushroom hunters and old mushroom hunters, but not old and bold mushroom hunters.”
Can you elaborate on some of the educational programs offered by BMC and who they typically cater to?
There are Consortium lectures on Zoom. The consortium is a group of between 10 and 15 clubs that all jointly host talks over the winter. Many of these talks are often very advanced. Our club also holds a series of lectures for beginners in the spring. We also have guest mycologists lead some of our club walks.
Does the club conduct any citizen science initiatives related to fungi?
We create a list of what we find on walks and submit them to the land trust or parks that we are at. This helps them document the biodiversity on their land. We also participate in projects to document fungi in the Northeast, such as the FUNDIS project that joined us at Harvard Forest last fall and sequenced what we found. Many members also post their finds on I-Naturalist of Mushroom Observer (both online sites). Each year we also participate in the Wachusett Mountain Bioblitz in Princeton.
What are your hopes for the future of the Boston Mycological Club?
I would like to see more members specialize in particular genus of fungi, to do more in depth research. I’d like to see more diversity in our membership. I would like to see the commonwealth better understand the importance of fungi. Also, one of my pet projects is trying to increase carpooling to walks. We have lots of people attend our walks and it is frustrating to see how many people come alone. It is so important for our environment to cut down on the number of cars at these events.
In your opinion, how can we better raise awareness about the importance of fungi in our ecosystem?
Massachusetts’ state parks - run by DCR - are some of the most expansive and diverse areas to study mushrooms. Also, the largest green spaces near Boston. Outdated regulations forbid removal of “plants.” This should not prevent picking mushrooms which are not even in the same kingdom as plants. However, many officials at state parks prevent any mushroom picking based on this misunderstanding. The actual organism is a fungal net either underground or in decaying wood. Removing the fruiting body, that we call mushrooms, does not damage the organism. Similar to picking berries. Many states around us have changed their regulations to allow mushroom picking for personal use and study. We have been trying to get legislation passed to change this but it is a slow process.
Are there any exciting projects or initiatives on the horizon for the club that you can share with us?
Aside from our efforts to pass legislation, we recently are experimenting with regional chapters within the club. Since the BMC is now over 1300 members and growing, we are forming local chapters (kind of smaller units in the club). This encourages people getting to know members in their area for small walks, socializing and carpools to club events.
Source: Boston Mycological Society
Source: Sudbury Valley Trustees