Field Mycologist UK automatically protects the location of observations of legally protected UK fungi. When you submit an observation of a protected species, a minimum location privacy is applied so the site can’t be accidentally revealed.
You don’t need to do anything. It happens automatically when you submit.
Why It Matters
Some of the UK’s rarest fungi are known from only a handful of sites. Once a precise location is public, it can attract disturbance, collecting or trampling of a fragile habitat. Recording rare species and protecting them go hand in hand: your record still adds to the national picture, without creating a public map to the site.
The Two Protection Tiers
Schedule 8: Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
The highest legal protection for UK species. It’s an offence to intentionally pick, uproot, destroy, possess or sell a Schedule 8 species.
Minimum setting applied: Private (location completely hidden from the public)
Four UK fungi are on Schedule 8:
- Battarraea phalloides: Sandy Stilt Puffball
- Boletus regius: Royal Bolete
- Buglossoporus quercinus: Oak Polypore
- Hericium erinaceus: Bearded Tooth
Older names for these species are recognised too.
Section 41: NERC Act 2006
Species of principal importance for conserving biodiversity in England.
Minimum setting applied: Obscured (approximate location only)
This covers around 30 fungi on Field Mycologist UK, including tooth fungi such as Hericium coralloides and Hydnellum species, waxcaps such as Porpolomopsis calyptriformis (Pink Waxcap), earthtongues, pinkgills and specialist boletes. Protected status is shown in the Conservation section of each species page.
How It Works
- When you submit, the species is checked against the protected species list.
- If your chosen setting is already as strict as the minimum, or stricter, it’s kept.
- If it’s less strict, it’s raised to the minimum.
| You chose | Species tier | Saved as |
|---|---|---|
| Open | Schedule 8 | Private |
| Obscured | Schedule 8 | Private |
| Open | Section 41 | Obscured |
| Obscured | Section 41 | Obscured |
| Private | Either | Private |
The exact location is always stored securely, and you, Identifiers and administrators can still see it.
Can I Override It?
You can’t choose a less strict setting than the minimum for a protected species. You can always choose a stricter one, for example Private for a Section 41 species.
Does This Affect NBN Atlas Sharing?
Only as the protection requires. Schedule 8 observations (Private) aren’t shared with the NBN Atlas. Section 41 observations (Obscured) are shared with their approximate location only. This matches how sensitive records are handled across the recording community.
Further Reading
The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Schedule 8 is published on legislation.gov.uk, and the Section 41 species list is available from Natural England and the JNCC.