Two new bills for a State Mushroom for New York State – Lactarius peckii
The New York Mycological Society urges New York State residents to support State Senate Bill A1919 & State Assembly Bill S1854, which relate to designating Lactarius peckii (Peck’s Milk Cap) as New York State’s official mushroom. Why Lactarius peckii ? It plays an important symbiotic role in our hardwood forests, supplying plants with minerals in exchange for sugars, supporting healthy ecosystems. Mycorrhizal fungi like Lactarius peckii also, playing a vital role in mitigating climate change be sequestering greenhouse gases underground where they can do no damage.
Without mushrooms like Lactarius peckii that partner with trees, our forests would fail to thrive. This species also shows up in the history of mycology in New York State. It was named for an Averill Park native, Charles Horton Peck, the State Museum’s botanist from 1866 through 1913. Peck described over 2700 new species of mushrooms, establishing New York state as a scientific hub mushroom research.
Lactarius peckii was first identified, described and named by the distinguished mycologist Gertrude Simmons Burlingham. Born in Oswego County, Burlingham earned a BSc in 1898 from Syracuse University, and in 1908 was the first woman to earn a PhD from a joint program between Columbia and the New York Botanical Gardens. Although she pioneered techniques to identify mushrooms, as a woman, she was unable to find paid mycological work. Burlingham continued her mycological research while teaching high school in Brooklyn NY, and discovered, named and described over 100 species.
By adopting Lactarius peckii as the official state mushroom we honor the critical role of fungi in ecosystems. Having a state mushroom encourages conversation about the significant role of science and research in New York State, including the importance of women in science. It celebrates the state’s forest resources, and commitment to fighting global warming through their preservation.
Six states have already designated a state mushroom; New York should too!
To Support These Bills:
Write (email or snail-mail) and/or call your legislator in both houses. Information on how to find them and script blueprints for support of these billis via mail or phone are below for your convenience.
Generic Assembly Letter For State Mushroom
YOUR STATE ASSEMBLY PERSON – find via https://nyassembly.gov/mem/search/
Legislative Office Building
Room [###]
Albany, NY 12247
Dear Assembly Member [ NAME HERE ],As a constituent and member of New York Mycological Society I am seeking your support for Bill A1919
Designating Lactarius peckii as the official state fungus of the state.Passage of this bill would make New York one of only six states to have a state mushroom. Though often overlooked, mushroom are vital to the health of ecosystems and are beautiful and fascinating. We have put forward Lactarius peckii (Peck’s Milky Cap) because it is common in wooded areas throughout the state, including in the parks of the five boroughs of New York City. The mushroom was first described by Gertrude Simmons Burlingham in 1908. A native New Yorker, Burlingham is a notable figure in North American mycology (the scientific study of mushrooms). She named this beautiful milky cap for Charles Horton Peck, who was the New York State botanist from 1867 to 1915, and described over 2700 species of North America mushrooms. Lactarius peckii is neither edible nor poisonous; it is noteworthy because it serves a vital role in maintaining healthy and vibrant forest ecosystems through its symbiotic (mycorrhizal) partnership with trees. If a milky cap mushroom like Lactarius peckii is present it means the forest is healthy.
I urge you to support Bill A1919 , and in so doing, assert New York’s appreciation of our healthy forests and parks.
[ SIGN YOUR NAME AND IF POSSIBLE ADD YOUR ADDRESS ]
If you would like to add a picture or link to one: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/87801000If phone call – I am calling to register my support for Assembly bill A1919, designating Lactarius peckii as the official NY State mushroom. As a member of New York Mycological Society, I am committed to healthy forests and understand that this mushroom signifies good woodland health. I am hoping you will co-sponsor.
Generic Assembly Letter For State Mushroom
YOUR STATE SENATOR – find via https://www.nysenate.gov/find-my-senator
Legislative Office Building
Room [###]
Albany, NY 12247Dear Senator [ NAME HERE ],
As a constituent and member of New York Mycological Society I am seeking your support for Bill S1854
Designating Lactarius peckii as the official state fungus of the state.Passage of this bill would make New York one of only six states to have a state mushroom. Though often overlooked, mushroom are vital to the health of ecosystems and are beautiful and fascinating. We have put forward Lactarius peckii (Peck’s Milky Cap) because it is common in wooded areas throughout the state, including in the parks of the five boroughs of New York City. The mushroom was first described by Gertrude Simmons Burlingham in 1908. A native New Yorker, Burlingham is a notable figure in North American mycology (the scientific study of mushrooms). She named this beautiful milky cap for Charles Horton Peck, who was the New York State botanist from 1867 to 1915, and described over 2700 species of North America mushrooms. Lactarius peckii is neither edible nor poisonous; it is noteworthy because it serves a vital role in maintaining healthy and vibrant forest ecosystems through its symbiotic (mycorrhizal) partnership with trees. If a milky cap mushroom like Lactarius peckii is present it means the forest is healthy.
I urge you to support Bill S1854 , and in so doing, assert New York’s appreciation of our great forests and parks.
[ SIGN YOUR NAME AND IF POSSIBLE ADD YOUR ADDRESS ]
If you would like to add a picture or link to one: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/87801000If calling by phone – I am calling to register my support for Assembly bill S1854, designating Lactarius peckii as the official NY State mushroom. As a member of New York Mycological Society, I am committed to healthy forests and understand that this mushroom signifies good woodland health. I am hoping you will co-sponsor.
In full support and endorsement from the following organizations (in alphabetical order):
- Catskill Fungi
- Long Island Mycological Club
- Mycology Group At NYU
- Rochester Area Mycological Association
- Stony Brook University Foraging and Mycology Society
Fungi everywhere in North America are under threat from habitat loss, climate change, loss of host organisms and too much nitrogen in the soil. And yet there are no fungi on any endangered species lists and they are not considered in conservation policy or projects. Why? There simply too little data on fungi – not enough to build a case that a species is in need of special protection.