Annapurna Conservation Area Project conducts wild mushroom survey

By the Editorial Team · Wednesday, July 8, 2026

The Annapurna Conservation Area Project completed a survey documenting over 50 wild mushroom species along trekking routes in Lamjung district, gathering ecological and traditional knowledge at elevations up to 4,300 meters. This research will inform conservation strategies and support sustainable resource use by integrating local community insights and baseline biodiversity data.

The Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) recently completed a field survey of wild mushrooms in forests managed by its Bhujung Area Conservation Office in Lamjung district. The week-long study, led by Pramod Raj Regmi, chief of the Bhujung office, focused on three trekking routes: Siurung-Khilapu-Koprong-Thurju-Dudhpokhari, Thurju-Phurju-Dhom-Rorocho-Bhujung, and Bhujung-Hragung-Pasgaon-Kamagaaun.

Researchers surveyed mushroom diversity, distribution, habitats, and biodiversity along these routes, collecting data up to the Deurali area near Dudhpokhari on the Lamjung-Manang border, at altitudes reaching approximately 4,300 meters above sea level. The survey area falls under the jurisdictions of Marsyangdi and Kwholasothar Rural Municipalities. Field teams gathered detailed observations at elevation intervals of 500 meters to better understand species variation with altitude.

Preliminary findings indicate the presence of more than 50 species of wild mushrooms, encompassing both edible and poisonous varieties. The research team also conducted questionnaire surveys within local communities to document traditional knowledge on mushroom collection, identification, usage, and conservation. Residents shared insights on practices and suggestions supporting sustainable use, which ACAP intends to incorporate into its conservation strategies.

Basudev Neupane, Natural Resource Conservation Assistant at ACAP, emphasized that the involvement of local resource persons was critical to establishing baseline records of mushroom species within the conservation area. He highlighted the importance of documenting not only the biological aspects of the fungi but also their economic contribution to rural livelihoods and the cultural knowledge associated with them.

The comprehensive data collected during the survey is currently under analysis, with species identifications to be confirmed upon completion of the study. ACAP officials stated that the results will contribute to biodiversity conservation efforts, sustainable resource management, and provide a foundation for future scientific research in the Annapurna Conservation Area.

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