WHAT WE DO
The Amazon Mycorenewal Project investigates how mushrooms can be used to help clean up the massive oil pollution that contaminates many regions around the world, especially the Ecuadorian Amazon. Mycorenewal is a new technique that has been proven successful in the lab, but limited studies have been done on its real-world applications.

WHO WE'VE HELPED
Many people are unaware that the largest land-based oil spill in the world is located in the Sucumbios province of the Ecuadorian Amazon region. Since the 1960s, Texaco and other oil companies have intentionally dumped petroleum waste products, failed to uphold safety regulations, and ignored degraded pipelines that spring leaks on a weekly basis. As a result, it is estimated that 18.5 billion gallons of oil now contaminates this biodiverse and ecologically unique area. Local communities are very well organized and are working for legal justice, addressing the resulting public health crisis, and fighting to prevent further spills. The Amazon Defense Coalition is leading a multi-billion dollar lawsuit against Chevron-Texaco for remediation funding to clean up their community. AMP is directed and coordinated by local leaders.

USING MUSHROOMS TO CLEAN OIL SPILLS
People often ask if mushrooms can "absorb" or "eat" oil. In fact, the root-like component of mushrooms (called mycelium) actually breaks down petroleum by excreting extracellular enzymes outside of its body. This is how fungus metabolizes petroleum. Mycologists acclimate the mycelium we use in a laboratory so that it is accustomed to recognize petroleum as a nutrient. For certain types of contaminated sites, mycorenewal can be faster, more effective and much more cost effective than other remediation methods, such as those using bacteria and chemical bleaches. AMP works with mushroom species native to the region.

TRAGEDY IN THE AMAZON
Local people exposed to oil are afflicted by among the highest cancer rates in the world, birth defects, and severe skin problems. There is no safe water, since groundwater and even rainwater are contaminated by constant leaching. Livestock graze on polluted lands and people bathe and wash clothes in contaminated river water.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?
We are greatly in need of funding to continue experiments and education. Contact us to plan a visit with us to the Ecuadorian Amazon, host an event in your community, make a donation or study with us for independent study credit from most universities.

BLOG ARCHIVE: We made it back to Ecuador after an enjoyable, if busy, time running up and down the West Coast of the United States. The Amazon Mycorenewal Project has reached its first birthday and what a year it has been! To commemorate, we had ourselves an AMP board meeting in Northern California with lots of tasty food and lively conversation. I wanted to thank all of our team members, both here in Ecuador and back in the States for all of their fantastic support in helping us get to and participating at speaking events, feeding us occasionally and focusing their considerable collective brain-power to steer our endeavor in the proper direction.
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Videos

Mycorenewal Courses

February 12 - 25, 2011
MushRoaming Ecuador's Rainforest

Join Fungal Jungal's Larry Evans, an expert on Amazonian fungi and Ecuador's Jungle Chocolate Lodge.

Mushroamers will be based in a beautiful and clean Canadian-run jungle lodge connected to an organic chocolate plantation located in Ecuador's Amazon Rain Forest. Arrival and departure from Quito, Ecuador's beautiful capital.

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