This episode introduces Andrés Better (Andy), a current student of Colorado Mountain College’s Bachelor of Science program in Ecosystem Science and Stewardship, and a graduate of the college's Permaculture Design Certificate. Over the years, he’s developed a passion for documenting biodiversity in his home country of Ecuador and in Colorado where he grew up. Andy has studied insects and arachnids in particular, and he posts beautiful close-up photographs of bugs that he shares on his Instagram page andybetterbugs. He’s done herpetofauna research, insect and arachnid surveys, and contributed to Ecuador's national herbarium/fungarium with preserved fungal specimens. His recent work helped protect a 1,050-acre plot in the cloud forest of NW Ecuador alongside fellow youth council members as part of Reserva: the Youth Land Trust.
Andy will be sharing more of his story and his knowledge – as well as many his photography – on October 23, 2023, at 7pm at the Carbondale Public Library as part of the Western Colorado Mycological Association’s monthly speaker series, which is free open to the public. The Western Colorado Mycological Association (https://www.wcmycoassociation.org/) aims to foster a community of individuals who share a passion for fungi and their essential place in the natural world. Through programs, events, and partnerships, its mission is to elevate mycology and provide mycological resources in Western Colorado, empowering youth and building connections around all things fungi.
