Giuliana Furci was hiking through a temperate rainforest with an antenna strapped to her back in search of an elusive fox when she stumbled across the mushroom that would change her life. Fungi are equally important tohumans. Even though they often provoke disgust or even fear these organisms are responsible for everything from bread to beer to antibiotics. Fungi not only feed us they also heal us. Statins from which we get cholesterollowering compounds are from mushrooms only. Medicines like penicillin come from moulds. Fungi also have a vital role to play in addressing the climate crisis thanks to their ability to sequester carbon and encouragebiodiversity. There is even an Amazonian fungus that can break down plastics. They are fundamental for maintaining the balance in every sense in the environment. There are few better places to study these organisms than Chilewhich Furci describes as a fungi hotspot. The north is covered by the driest desert outside the poles in the world and the central regions have a Mediterranean style climate. And the south is blanketed by rainforests glaciers fjordsand tundra. It has one of the longest coastlines and biggest mountain ranges in the world as well as several subtropical islands. The diversity of these ecosystems translates directly into the diversity of the fungi. Every time I gointo the field I find new species it is like a goldmine. In an hour I can collect more than hundred species of fungi. There is consensus in the mycological community that we only know about a few fungal species on Earth.Indigenous peoples such as the Mapuche who now live predominantly in the Araucania region on the northern edge of Patagonia have long use wild fungi for food and medicine. This is something Furci is keen to explore. Theelders programme of fungi foundation is mapping every known ancestral and traditional use of fungi in the world. We have coevolved with fungi from the beginning of our existence. And we see that many of the problems of theEarth for people and the planet have solutions in the kingdom of fungi. Furci is trying to change these attitudes working closely with chefs and raising awareness about the mushrooms of the country. Through the FungiFoundation Furci is trying to create a bigger domestic market for Chilean mushrooms. The organisation teaches producers about sustainable harvesting and packaging techniques and helps chefs identify and source ingredientsfrom ecofriendly suppliers. It is indeed a beautiful relationship. There is never been a penny traded between any of us. It is the mission of the foundation to bring justice to these organisms and the chefs are doing their bit by usingnative ingredients. Looking to the future Furci is plotting expeditions beyond Chile to search for new species of fungi working on education projects to ensure children learn as much about the organisms as they do about plantsand animals and campaigning for fungi to be included in conservation agreements worldwide. Travellers may struggle to replicate forays of Furci into the wilderness but there are more accessible ways to explore the myriadfungal species of southern Chile. She highlights the Route of Parks. The diversity is so high there are moments in autumn that you cannot walk without stepping on a mushroom.