REGION – Elementary and middle school students from two Windham County schools have helped determine what may become Vermont’s newest state symbol: a Vermont State Mushroom.
Fungi are intriguing to students and adults alike, and their importance is growing in the public consciousness. H.664 would designate Hericium americanum, commonly known as the bear’s head tooth mushroom, as our state mushroom. If passed, Vermont would become the sixth state to designate a state mushroom, though four others are under consideration.
House Bill 664 was introduced by Rep. Michelle Bos-Lun (Democrat, Windham-3) on Jan. 5, 2024. It was transferred to the Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry on Feb. 15, where supportive testimony was taken from UVM botany professors, Fish and Wildlife directors, a state botanist, staff from the department of agriculture, foraging educators, and home cultivators. Everyone agreed Vermont is ready for a state mushroom, and that the students chose well with bear’s head tooth.
Cosponsor Rep. Labor (Republican, Essex-Orleans), said, “The study of mycology is both a gastronomical delight and for some species a medicinal marvel. A journey of foraging opportunities awaits the curious.” Twelve other House members, both Democrats and Republicans, co-sponsored the bill.
Compass Middle School and Windham Elementary School had multiple visits from Rep. Bos-Lun to learn about mushrooms and the legislative process, and to vote on their choice of a native Vermont mushroom in the fall. Head of the Compass school Kendra Rickerby said this about the student’s involvement: “It is a delight to watch Compass School’s students engage with the legislative process and bring some levity to the current political climate. These opportunities are just the kind of exploration we embrace for all students attending Compass School.”
Mustapha Tucker, an eighth grader from Compass, is excited to be representing his school in helping the legislature consider a new Vermont symbol. “We wanted a mushroom that was distinct, like Vermont is, not too hard to find, not poisonous, able to be found in the woods or cultivated. We chose bear’s head tooth.”
Hericium americanum is a mushroom that grows naturally in Vermont on trees, stumps, and logs. It can also be grown at home or commercially – it is rare for mushrooms to thrive in the wild and be cultivated by home and commercial growers. Students said, “It looks like a waterfall or like icicles”. Some wanted a “mushroom that grows on trees, because Vermont has lots of trees.” The final student votes were nearly unanimous. Students chose a distinctive mushroom that thrives in Vermont’s woods, can be cultivated, eaten safely, used medicinally, and has no toxic lookalikes.
No other state has chosen bear’s head tooth as its symbol, and it only grows in the northeast. Experts agreed that it is an excellent choice, and a member of the governor’s administration shared that the governor supports the choice as well, though the bill won’t reach his desk until later this spring.
Three students from each school will travel to Montpelier to testify on March 12. “It has been a pleasure to educate and engage youth from age 5-14 in this project; to watch the students learn to love and appreciate the wonders of fungi while they simultaneously learn about our legislative process. This bill acknowledges the importance of the fungi kingdom by recognizing one special mushroom in Vermont, and in doing so it is also recognizing the voices of youth,” Rep. Rep Bos-Lun explained.
Co-sponsor Rep. Bobby Farlice-Rubio (Democrat, Caledonia-1) said why he chose to co-sponsor H.664: “As a longtime ecology educator, I often led young students into the forests for their first explorations. Few organisms inspired more fascination than the fungus among us. Whether describing ‘witches butter,’ ‘turkey tails,’ ‘artists’ shelves,’ ‘hen of the woods,’ or ‘oyster mushrooms,’ these mysterious lifeforms always led to the most fascinating discussions of mycelium and mycorrhizae. So much curiosity, so many questions. Now Vermont will have its very own fungus, the bear’s head tooth: an exquisite beauty amongst them all, to inspire more journeys of discovery into the woods. I’m thrilled about the excitement that this will inspire.”
By participating in the introduction of a bill for our very own state mushroom, students are learning about Vermont’s legislative process. The bear’s head tooth mushroom is native to Vermont, and can be found or cultivated in our forests, reflecting our agricultural heritage. This initiative was aimed at cultivating the voices of youth to engage in our democratic process.
Vermont might be getting a new symbol from the fungi kingdom, which could increase interest in foraging, mushroom identification, and spending time in the woods. “This is good for kids, good for adults, and good for our environment,” Bos-Lun affirmed.
After committee consideration, the House is expected to vote on H.664 later this week. The Senate has until May to consider it, vote, and send it to the governor. We will know soon whether or not we will get a new state symbol. The students involved in selecting and testifying, and mycophiles around Vermont, are eager to see this bill pass this session.