Subject: Re: Establishing a repository(?)

From: [email-masked] (Paul Zambino)
Date: 13 Mar 1996 14:13:55 -0800

>Dear mycologists:
>
>Over the course of the last 4 years, I have been researching various
>saprophytic and parasitic species in a national park near at hand...

One of the conditions set
>forth by the park superintendent is that I establish a repository for
>specimens in a local college/university...
>
>If anyone has contacts or suggestions, I'll gladly accept them.
>
>best regards,
>
>R. W. Taylor

Roy, I would think there must be some college or university with either a
botanical or more strictly mycological herbarium in your geographic region.
What national park and state are you working in?  Good luck, Paul

Paul Zambino, Ph.D.
USDA Forest Service
Forestry Sciences Lab
5985 Highway K
Rhinelander, WI 54501
PH:(715)362-1178
FAX: (715)362-1166
EMAIL: [email-masked]
DG:p.zambino:R09F06A

---

From: Roy W. Taylor <[email-masked]>
Date: 14 Mar 1996 03:53:30 GMT

Thomas O'Dell <[email-masked]> writes:
> Where are you located?
> 
> [email-masked]
> Mycology is better than Urology!
> 
Metropolitan Atlanta(!). You see, that seems to be a major part of the
problem. The only mycological research I've discovered in this region
seems to be some somewhat esoteric studies at UGA. That's not local
(part of their requirement) and not convenient, even if I could
establish a link.

The heart of this (no pun intended) is devastating heartwood rot in
seriously stressed stands of old oak that are essential to the park
historically (Kennesaw National Battlefield Park is more oriented to
history than natural science) and aesthetically. The stress seems to
be primarily due to major storms over the past few years and
increasing human presence. The upcoming olympics - where the park is
predicting to have up to 8000 visitors per day - won't help. The
park is on the edge of losing both health and consequentially the
diversity that makes it special to me; I respect history, and will
appeal to the park in this way as well, but I am *not* a historian.

I hand carried a letter to the superintendant summarizing what I had
observed in the least technical language that I could muster (in an
understanding that his background left him in the cold on this subject).
He was cordial and concerned, having noted the rot in some of the
downed trees from last year's hurricane. His reply by mail was cordial
as well, but posed me with the unlikely proposition of establishing
a contact with a local school, none of which seem to have had much
study of mycology in the past and whom I must depend on to finish this
up.

If you have time to help, and you'd like to see my letter and the park's
response, I'll gladly fax it. It summarises what I have done and related
in cursive language. Any other ideas that you might have will be well
considered and received.

Thank you for the time and courtesy of response.

Best regards,

Roy W. Taylor
[email-masked]
[email-masked]

---

From: Roy W. Taylor <[email-masked]>
Date: 14 Mar 1996 04:13:10 GMT

> What national park and state are you working in?  Good luck, Paul

May I start out by thanking you for your time and consideration in
your response.

I am in suburban metro Atlanta, GA; the park is Kennesaw National Mountain
Battlefield. Part of the problem here is that this park's orientation is
history more so than nature; the staff at the park are dedicated and
knowledgeable in the *history* of the park. The superintendant has been
very cordial in regards to my request and the opportunity for assistance
as well; our conversations and letters have been positive and we're
trying to work for the benefit of all.

The sticking point is finding a "local" university contact that is truly
enthused by "fungus" (the rangers at KNMBP refer to me, albeit in a good-
natured way, as "the fungus man"). Those that are considered local
include Kennesaw State, Georgia Tech, Emory, and Southern Tech.

In order to save time for both of us (if you can spare a few more minutes
to begin with), I'd like to fax you the initial exchanges between us,
which summarize as non-technically as posssible my representation of
my studies to the park and their response.

I might add something else; I have a parallel study in the Chattahoochee
National Forest that's looking at a very similar set of circumstances
here.

Thank you again for your time; I look forward to hearing from you.

Roy W. Taylor