- Home /
- Museums & visitor centres /
- The Regional Mycological Centre
The Regional Mycological Centre
The Regional Mycological Centre was set up as the result of an agreement between the administration of the La Mandria Regional Park and the Associazione Micologica Piemontese (A.M.P. – The Mycological Association of Piedmont), which is delegated to deal with all of its activities.
Cascina Rampa, which can be reached from the Tre Cancelli entrance in Via Scodeggio 97 at Venaria Reale, is the headquarters of the Centre.
Mushrooms bring about very important ecological relations with the vegetable world:
- Exchanges with the roots of forest essences, thus contributing to the stability of the woodland community (symbiont mushrooms).
- The selection of weakened and/or injured plants, creating new spaces for the renewal of the woodlands (parasite mushrooms).
- The demolition of dead organisms, bringing about mineralization and recycling (saprophyte mushrooms).
Mushrooms are an essential link in the chain that makes it possible to renew life. Let’s learn to recognise them, love them and protect them. Mushrooms have always been one of man’s best-loved foods.
More than their actual nutritional value, the gastronomic advantage of mushrooms lies in their aromatic content which is capable of improving the flavour of many meals. Unfortunately however, due to a lack of knowledge and information, every year reckless consumers risk poisoning which can occasionally be lethal or invalidating. A minimum amount of information on the recognition of the most dangerous species could significantly limit these regrettable events.
Flocks of mushroom seekers invade the forests, ignoring the most elementary regulations for the respect and protection of the environment, which are also foreseen by specific laws. These people should be adequately informed about the correct behaviour to adopt.
The Regional Mycological Centre (C.M.R.) is an accurate response to the citizens’ need for information regarding mushrooms.
Study and updating. The Centre supplies support to university students on mycological themes. It promotes updating seminars for A.S.L. (Local Health Board) inspectors and mycological microscopy courses. It collaborates with Universities and research institutes.
Documentation. The Centre has a specialised library with essential texts on mushroom classification. The library is consultable from Monday to Friday afternoon or subject to a telephone appointment. A collection of models (moulds) of the main species of mushrooms is available.
Collaborations with schools. The popularisation activity of the Centre is also aimed at schools, with guided excursions, slide shows, conversations with a mycological theme etc. Small exercises are proposed such as the collection of spore moulds or the collection and conservation of mushroom moulds.
Mushroom Saturdays. Among the popularisation activities aimed at visitors to the Park, the “Mushroom Saturdays” are quite successful. They involve brief excursions to the areas of Cascina Rampa to observe the environments in which mushrooms develop. The excursions always conclude at the headquarters of the CMR with the observation of the samples collected, and conversations or slide shows along a mycological theme.
Associazione Micologica Piemontese (The Mycological Association of Piedmont)
Located at the Regional Mycological Centre, which it manages. Among other things, in collaboration with the University of Turin, the members are currently taking a census of the mycological flora in the La Mandria Park. The Association promotes introductory courses on the study of mushrooms for its newly acquired members. Theses courses are articulated around weekly meetings.
Mycological exhibitions
The popularisation activities of the Centre have their most representative moment in the mycological exhibitions.
The exhibition of springtime mushrooms takes place during the month of May and is of enormous interest as it illustrates lesser known and occasionally rare species, which are present in nature only during this period.
The educational mycological exhibition is normally organised during the month of October, the period of most intensive interest for the subject of mushrooms. It has fresh specimens collected by the members of the AMP. Each species has an index, which indicates its edibility, toxicity, scientific name, authors, popular name, habitat and relationship with the environment.
Special notices illustrate the characteristics useful for identifying certain main types, others recommend appropriate behaviour for seekers regarding mushrooms, the environment and the laws that regulate this subject.
Centro Micologico Regionale
Via Scodeggio 97, 10078 Venaria Reale
Open on Mondays and Thursdays from 3 pm to 6 pm. The answering service is operational when the offices are closed.
Tel. 011 499 3368 – 011 499 3381
For further information
www.associazionemicologicapiemontese.it
Cascina Rampa
The interior of Cascina Rampa
The interior of Cascina Rampa
Ammanite Muscaria