Mycorestoration: Laboratory to Landscape (online)

Mycorestoration is the practice of strategically partnering with decomposer (saprophytic) fungi to heal soil and water that has been contaminated with pollutants ranging from E. coli to petroleum. This embodiment of the remediative biotechnology is based on the fungi’s evolved ability to acquire nutrients - they just want snacks! In this course, we will cover the mycorestoration basics, scientific case studies, mycorestoration in the context of the Red Hill crisis on Oʻahu, accessibility and applicability across Hawaiʻi, and DIY experiments.

*All courses will be recorded, so if you happen to miss any one of the classes do not worry. We will make the recordings available to you.

NEXT LIVE CLASS:

October 2nd, 2023 - Mycorestoration and the Red Hill crisis

Jet fuel (JP5) & forever chemicals (PFAS) have leaked into the Moanalua aquifer in the Ewa district of Oʻahu. How did it get there? Learn about the WWII era Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility where these toxic substances have contaminated the aquifer that holds 77% of the waiola (water of life) on the island. We will be discussing the potential for mycorestoration to remediate the waiola & what that would mean for the future of Oʻahu.

ON DEMAND | CONTACT US FOR ACCESS:

Mycorestoration 101: The Basics

In this class, we will cover the basics of mycorestoration. Mycorestoration is working with fungi to remediate, or clean up contaminated soil & water. This type of restoration can be used to address a variety of environmental pollutants, ranging from E. coli to petroleum-based products. Throughout this class, we will define mycorestoration, describe how it works, & give examples of a few ways mycorestoration can look in the field.

Case Studies Past and Present

Are you interested in learning about examples of mycorestoration in practice? This course will review five successful mycorestoration case studies/projects. We will review the objectives, methods, & the results of each study to bring you up to speed on what is happening in the world of mycorestoration.

DIY Mycorestoration Experimentation

This class will provide an overview of resources available to folks who want or need to source supplies to implement a mycorestoration project on their own. We will discuss species of tropical fungi & substrates that are compatible with & well-suited to addressing a variety of contaminants. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions about specific sites / locations they have in mind that might be a candidate for mycorestoration.

Mycorestoration accessibility and applicability across Hawaiʻi

Mycorestoration is low-cost, low-tech, & environmentally friendly. This makes it one of the most accessible remediation technologies we have to date, though it can still be difficult to implement on scales larger than a backyard. Learn about what makes access to mycorestoration different from other remediation practices, & where it could be used to address the environmental contamination crises that Hawaiʻi currently faces.

About the Instructors:

Hannah Hartmann

Aloha Kākou,

My name is Hannah Hartmann and I am a settler residing in Hilo, Hawaiʻi (Kānaka maoli homelands). I have a BS in Environmental Science and Management with a focus in Ecological Restoration, and minors in Wildland Soil Science, Fire Ecology, and Geospatial Analysis from Humboldt State University. I am currently pursuing my MS in Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science (TCBES) at University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, and have been working with the Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi to push for mycorestoration to be considered as a solution for the contamination crisis at Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility. Prior to this, I worked on the mycofiltration of E. coli from wastewater with co-researcher Sanae, and for our mycology mentor at Fungaia Farms. Currently, I serve on the boards for HuliPAC, a new political action committee based on Hawaiʻi island that seeks to uplift and endorse pono candidates, and Recycle Hawaiʻi, a nonprofit that promotes effective climate action while reducing waste. I am passionate about systemic change, and hopeful for a sustainable future.

Sanae Hartmann

My name is Sanae Hartmann. I am a settler-scholar-activist currently living and working on Susquehannock homelands while pursuing a dual-title PhD in Geography and Transdisciplinary Research in Environment and Society (TREES) at Penn State University. I received my BA in Political Science and MA in Social Science: Environment and Community from Humboldt State University. Within that space, I had the honor of learning from Indigenous peers, elders, and mentors how to think critically about environmental degradation from decolonial perspectives, and orient my work to be actionable and equitable. That experience, combined with co-researching community-scale implementation of mycorestoration with Hannah in Goudi’ni (Wiyot homelands also known as Arcata, California) and Hawaiʻi (Kānaka maoli homelands), lead to my work evolving to primarily focus on identifying and dismantling systemic origins of petroleum pollution in order to effectively remediate ʻāina and wai that has been violated by illegal military occupation.

Cover photo: Tobi Kellner, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons