Are you ready for some fungi fun?

Great sweeps of moorland surrounding Saddleworth are home to some of the rarest species of fungi.

The National Trust reveals these findings as it celebrates Happy UK Fungi Day.

Calderdale is home to some of the rarest fungi in the world, with 120 species of ancient grassland fungi, often known as waxcaps, found in pastures around West Yorkshire.

Tthe Trust says a walk through ‘unimproved’ grasslands - fields that have not been ploughed or fertilised - between October and December, could lead to an encounter with brightly coloured shiny mushrooms.

But these fruiting fungi are in trouble and Yorkshire is now one of the last homes of these increasingly rare mushrooms.

Over the past 70 years, 90% of their habitats have been destroyed.

The Trust set up the Ancient Grassland Project in 2021 to help protect the fungi's remaining habitats and in the past three years, the project has surveyed 385 hectares and found 119 fungi species - three of them new to science.

Around a third of these species are listed as vulnerable, and two as endangered on the IUCN red list.

“To put that into perspective, it’s like a snow leopard or polar bear being found in the fields around Hebden Bridge,” said Steve Hindle, Ancient Grassland Officer for the National Trust. 

“If they were mammals or birds, there would definitely be more interest in looking for and looking after them.”

There is increased understanding that these habitats need protecting. New Countryside Stewardship schemes offer farmers financial rewards for preserving fields, and members of the public are invited to get involved in looking for and reporting the fungi, under schemes like Plant Life’s #waxcapwatch.

“Grassland fungi are still poorly understood, compared to other species, so there is very little statutory protection for them,” added Hindle.

“But if people can get out and look for them, they can play a part in their survival.”

Later this month, the National Trust plan to celebrate the Ancient Grassland Fungi Project with a ‘Fungi Festival’ at Hardcastle Crags.

There will be a free exhibition of works from local artists, foraging walks, and craft workshops in Gibson Mill.

From October 26 until the end of December, visitors will be able to learn more about the fascinating lifeforms that can be found across the estate - and beyond.

“Calderdale is our fungi equivalent of the Amazon rainforest,” added Hindle.

“We want to shine a light on how amazing these fungi - if they go extinct we might never know what we’ve lost.”

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