The initiative aims to establish the technical and participatory foundations for the creation of a conservation plan for the species Butyriboletus loyo (loyo).
May 4, 2026
FFungi Staff
Communications Assistant
FFungi Volunteer
In a milestone for biodiversity conservation, the National Geographic Society announced its support for a project led by Fungi Foundation that seeks to lay the groundwork for the first conservation plan for a fungus in Chile. The initiative will focus on Butyriboletus loyo (loyo), a mycorrhizal, edible, and endemic species from southern Chile that is currently endangered, mainly due to native forest loss, wildfires, and the harvesting of young specimens, which prevents the species from regenerating.
The project will combine scientific research with collaboration alongside local communities and traditional harvesters, with the goal of jointly defining concrete actions for the protection and sustainable management of loyo, a fungus renowned for its large size —it can weigh up to 5 kilograms— and highly valued by the Mapuche people.
In 2010, Chile became the first country in the world to include fungi in its environmental legislation. This step enabled the assessment of the first 22 fungal species —including loyo— through Chile’s Species Classification Process and the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Species.
“This project continues the work Fungi Foundation has carried out around the conservation of loyo, a species that is deeply valuable for harvesting communities and the culture of southern Chile. It was the first Chilean fungal species to be assessed and categorized as endangered by the IUCN, and the first to have a Sustainable Harvesting Manual. Now, through this project, we aim to promote the development of a Conservation Plan and the recognition of the harvester profession,” explains Daniela Torres, Programs Director at Fungi Foundation, who was also named a National Geographic Explorer as part of this support.
The main threats facing loyo are habitat loss and unsustainable harvesting. Its mycorrhizal nature —meaning it lives in symbiosis with tree roots and cannot be conventionally cultivated— makes its conservation directly dependent on the condition of the native forests of southern Chile.
We are very excited and grateful for the support of the National Geographic Society and for Daniela Torres’ recognition as a National Geographic Explorer, which marks an important step forward for fungal conservation in Chile.
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