Terms & Conditions

Welcome to Field Mycologist UK. By accessing and using this website, you accept and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions outlined below. Please read these terms carefully before using our services.

1. Acceptance of Terms

By creating an account, uploading content, or otherwise using this website, you agree to comply with these Terms and Conditions. If you do not agree with any part of these terms, you must not use this website.

2. User Accounts and Registration

To access certain features of the website, including uploading images and recording observations, you must register for an account. You agree to:

  • Provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration
  • Maintain the security of your password and account
  • Accept responsibility for all activities that occur under your account
  • Notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these terms or for any other reason at our sole discretion.

3. Third-Party Service Integrations

3.1 iNaturalist Integration

Field Mycologist UK offers optional integration with iNaturalist, a third-party platform. By using this integration, you agree to the following terms:

Authorization and Access:

  • You authorize Field Mycologist UK to act on your behalf when exporting observations to iNaturalist
  • This authorization uses OAuth 2.0 and does not grant us access to your iNaturalist password
  • You may revoke this authorization at any time through your Field Mycologist UK profile
  • Field Mycologist UK is not responsible for iNaturalist’s availability, functionality, or changes to their service

Your Responsibilities:

When using the iNaturalist integration, you agree that:

  • You have the right to share all content (photos, data, notes) being exported
  • You understand that exported observations become subject to iNaturalist’s terms of service and privacy policy
  • You are responsible for ensuring your observations comply with iNaturalist’s community guidelines
  • You will not use the integration to share copyrighted material you don’t have rights to
  • You will not export observations containing personally identifiable information of others without their consent
  • You will not use the integration to spam, harass, or abuse the iNaturalist platform

Data Accuracy:

  • We make reasonable efforts to accurately map species identifications between Field Mycologist UK and iNaturalist taxonomies
  • However, we cannot guarantee perfect taxonomic alignment between the two platforms
  • You should verify exported observations on iNaturalist and make any necessary corrections there
  • You remain responsible for the accuracy of all exported content

Limitation of Liability:

Field Mycologist UK is not liable for:

  • Issues arising from iNaturalist’s terms of service, privacy practices, or platform operations
  • Data loss, corruption, or misattribution occurring on iNaturalist
  • Disputes between you and iNaturalist or its community members
  • Changes to iNaturalist’s API or features that affect our integration
  • Temporary or permanent unavailability of the export functionality
  • Any consequences of exporting observations to iNaturalist (including making location data public)

No Endorsement:

Our provision of iNaturalist integration does not constitute an endorsement of iNaturalist or guarantee their services. We provide this integration as a convenience to users who wish to participate in both communities.

Changes to Integration:

We reserve the right to:

  • Modify, suspend, or discontinue the iNaturalist integration at any time
  • Change the data fields that are exported
  • Implement rate limits or restrictions on exports
  • Require additional verification or terms for continued use

3.2 NBN Atlas Data

Field Mycologist UK uses taxonomic classification data from the National Biodiversity Network (NBN) Atlas (https://nbnatlas.org), the UK’s largest collection of biodiversity information, operated by the National Biodiversity Network Trust.

What NBN Atlas data we use:

  • Taxonomic hierarchy data (phylum, class, order, family, genus, species)
  • Scientific name authorship
  • Synonym information
  • Conservation status data
  • Reference images (where available)

This data is used solely to populate species records on this website and is sourced from the NBN Atlas Species API.

Licensing and attribution:

All data obtained from the NBN Atlas is subject to the NBN Atlas Terms of Use (https://docs.nbnatlas.org/nbn-atlas-terms-of-use/) and the licence conditions applied by individual data partners. Data displayed on this website may be licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 (CC-BY-NC 4.0), Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC-BY 4.0), Creative Commons CC0, or the Open Government Licence (OGL), depending on the original data partner’s chosen licence.

Users of this website must:

  • Not use NBN Atlas-sourced taxonomic data displayed on this website for commercial purposes unless the data is licensed under CC-BY, CC0, or OGL
  • Acknowledge the NBN Atlas and relevant data partners as the source of taxonomic data if re-using it elsewhere
  • Comply with the NBN Atlas Terms of Use when accessing or using taxonomic data from this website

Reference images sourced from the NBN Atlas remain the property of the original photographer or institution. Image licence conditions are displayed alongside each image where available.

Accuracy disclaimer:

Taxonomic data from the NBN Atlas is provided for informational purposes and is cached periodically. We do not guarantee that taxonomic classifications are current, complete, or error-free. The NBN Atlas, its data partners, and Field Mycologist UK bear no responsibility for any further analysis or interpretation of this data.

Breach of licence conditions:

Misuse of NBN Atlas data may result in penalties imposed by the NBN Trust, including fixed charges of £500 per data partner whose data has been misused. For full details, see the NBN Atlas breach of licence conditions policy (https://docs.nbnatlas.org/data-licenses/breach-licence-conditions/).

3.3 What3Words Integration

Field Mycologist UK uses the What3Words API to convert geographic coordinates into three-word addresses for ease of location reference. By using location features on this website, you acknowledge that What3Words addresses are subject to the What3Words Terms of Service (https://what3words.com/terms). What3Words data is provided for convenience only and should not be relied upon as a sole means of communicating precise locations.

4. User-Generated Content

4.1 Content Ownership and License

You retain ownership of all content you upload to the website, including images, observation records, and other data. However, by uploading observations and their accompanying images to Field Mycologist UK, you agree to license this content under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC-BY-NC 4.0).

This means:

  • Attribution (BY) – Others may share your observations and images as long as they give appropriate credit to you
  • NonCommercial (NC) – The material may not be used for commercial purposes

Additionally, you grant Field Mycologist UK a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, display, reproduce, and distribute your content for the purpose of operating and promoting the website.

For more information about the CC-BY-NC 4.0 license, visit: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

4.2 Content Responsibility

You are solely responsible for the content you upload. You agree that your content will:

  • Not infringe on any third party’s intellectual property rights, privacy rights, or other rights
  • Not contain malicious code, viruses, or harmful components
  • Not contain defamatory, obscene, or illegal material
  • Comply with all applicable laws and regulations

4.3 Content Removal

We reserve the right to remove any content that violates these terms or that we deem inappropriate, without notice and at our sole discretion.

Field Mycologist UK is NOT liable for any loss, corruption, or deletion of observation records, images, or any other data you upload or submit to the website.

While we make reasonable efforts to maintain the integrity and availability of user data, we strongly recommend that you:

  • Maintain your own backup copies of all images and observations
  • Do not rely on this website as your sole repository for important data
  • Regularly export or save your data independently

We provide this service “as is” and make no guarantees regarding data preservation, availability, or recovery.

4.4 Exported Content

When you export observations to third-party platforms like iNaturalist:

  • The content remains subject to the license terms you granted to Field Mycologist UK
  • The content also becomes subject to the receiving platform’s license terms (e.g., iNaturalist’s licenses)
  • You may be granting broader usage rights to the third-party platform than you granted to Field Mycologist UK
  • You should review the third party’s terms before exporting
  • Field Mycologist UK is not responsible for how third parties use your exported content

4.5 Third-Party Exports and Copyright

You represent and warrant that:

  • All content you export to third-party services is either your original work or you have obtained all necessary rights and permissions
  • You have the right to grant the licenses required by both Field Mycologist UK and any third-party service you export to
  • Your exported content does not infringe on any third party’s intellectual property rights
  • You will not hold Field Mycologist UK liable for copyright disputes arising from content you exported to third-party platforms

5. Prohibited Content and Conduct

5.1 Foraging and Consumption Policy

Field Mycologist UK has a strict “no discussion about foraging or consuming fungi” policy. Users must not:

  • Post content encouraging or providing advice about consuming wild fungi
  • Share recipes or preparation methods for wild fungi
  • Discuss the edibility or culinary qualities of fungi
  • Provide foraging locations or tips for finding edible species

This website is for scientific observation and documentation purposes only. Content violating this policy will be removed and may result in account suspension or termination.

5.2 Additional Prohibited Activities

You must not:

  • Use the website for any unlawful purpose
  • Attempt to gain unauthorized access to the website or other users’ accounts
  • Interfere with or disrupt the website’s operation
  • Harvest or collect data from the website using automated means without permission
  • Impersonate any person or entity
  • Harass, threaten, or abuse other users

Field Mycologist UK and its operators are NOT liable for any illness, injury, death, or other harm resulting from the consumption of fungi, whether or not such fungi were identified, photographed, or discussed on this website.

Please be aware that:

  • Many fungi species are toxic, some fatally so
  • Correct identification of fungi requires expert knowledge and cannot be reliably done from photographs alone
  • Information on this website is provided by users and may be inaccurate or incorrect
  • This website is NOT intended to be used as a guide for identifying edible fungi
  • You should NEVER consume wild fungi based on information from this or any online source

If you choose to consume wild fungi despite this warning, you do so entirely at your own risk. Always consult with trained mycologists and use proper identification resources before considering consumption of any wild fungi.

6. Accuracy of Information

While we strive for accuracy, Field Mycologist UK makes no warranties or representations about the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information on the website, including:

  • Fungi identifications provided by users or moderators
  • Scientific names, taxonomic classifications, or other nomenclature
  • Taxonomic data sourced from the NBN Atlas or other third-party services
  • Conservation status information sourced from the IUCN Red List or NBN Atlas
  • Geographic distribution information
  • Any other data or observations submitted by users

All information is provided for educational and research purposes only. Users should verify information through authoritative scientific sources.

7. Privacy and Data Protection

Your use of this website is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information. By using this website, you consent to our data practices as described in the Privacy Policy.

8. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the content, privacy practices, or terms of use of any third-party sites. Accessing third-party links is at your own risk.

9. Platform Independence

9.1 Relationship with Third Parties

Field Mycologist UK operates independently from third-party services we integrate with. Please understand:

  • Separate platforms: Field Mycologist UK, iNaturalist, the NBN Atlas, and What3Words are separate platforms with different purposes, communities, and data handling practices
  • Independent terms: Each platform has its own terms of service and privacy policy that govern use of that specific platform
  • No joint venture: Our integrations do not create a partnership, joint venture, or agency relationship with any third-party service
  • Separate accounts: Your Field Mycologist UK account and any third-party accounts are separate; issues with one do not affect the other
  • Data synchronization: We do not automatically synchronize data between platforms – exports are one-way and manual
  • Support boundaries: We can only provide support for Field Mycologist UK features; third-party issues should be directed to the relevant service’s support team

10. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Field Mycologist UK, its operators, owners, employees, and affiliates shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits or revenues, whether incurred directly or indirectly, or any loss of data, use, goodwill, or other intangible losses resulting from:

  • Your use or inability to use the website
  • Any unauthorized access to or use of our servers and/or any personal information stored therein
  • Any interruption or cessation of transmission to or from the website
  • Any bugs, viruses, or other harmful components transmitted through the website
  • Any errors or omissions in any content or for any loss or damage incurred as a result of the use of any content posted or shared through the website
  • The conduct or content of any third party on the website

In no event shall Field Mycologist UK’s total liability to you exceed the amount you paid to use the website (if any) in the twelve months preceding the claim.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Field Mycologist UK and its officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses, including reasonable legal fees, arising out of or in any way connected with:

  • Your access to or use of the website
  • Your violation of these Terms and Conditions
  • Your violation of any third-party rights, including intellectual property, privacy, or other proprietary rights
  • Any content you upload or submit to the website

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Field Mycologist UK from any claims, damages, or expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from:

  • Your use of third-party integrations, including but not limited to iNaturalist
  • Content you export to third-party platforms
  • Violations of third-party platform terms of service or community guidelines
  • Disputes between you and third-party platforms or their users
  • Copyright or intellectual property claims related to exported content

12. Disclaimer of Warranties

The website is provided on an “AS IS” and “AS AVAILABLE” basis without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to:

  • Warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose
  • Warranties that the website will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free
  • Warranties regarding the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of content
  • Warranties that defects will be corrected or that the site is free of viruses or other harmful components

13. Modifications to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms and Conditions at any time. Changes will be effective immediately upon posting to the website. Your continued use of the website after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the modified terms. We encourage you to review these terms periodically.

14. Modifications to Service

We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any aspect of the website at any time, including the availability of any features, database, or content, without notice and without liability.

15. Termination

We may terminate or suspend your account and access to the website immediately, without prior notice or liability, for any reason, including breach of these Terms and Conditions. Upon termination, your right to use the website will immediately cease.

16. Severability

If any provision of these Terms and Conditions is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary so that these terms shall otherwise remain in full force and effect.

17. Entire Agreement

These Terms and Conditions, together with the Privacy Policy and any other legal notices published on the website, constitute the entire agreement between you and Field Mycologist UK regarding your use of the website.

18. Governing Law

These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales. You irrevocably agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales for any disputes arising from or relating to the use of this website.

19. Contact Information

If you have any questions about these Terms and Conditions, please contact us at:

Field Mycologist UK
Email: hello@fieldmycologist.uk

By using Field Mycologist UK, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions.