In a groundbreaking initiative, Expo City Dubai has unveiled the world’s first Fungi Survival Centre at Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion, marking a major milestone in global biodiversity conservation. This pioneering centre aims to lead efforts in researching, preserving, and raising awareness of the world’s fungi, which play a critical role in ecosystems yet remain vastly underrepresented in conservation work.
The centre will spearhead the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List for fungi—a crucial step toward recognizing endangered species and prioritizing them for global protection. Scientists at the centre will collaborate with researchers and institutions worldwide to gather data, catalog fungal species, and promote their ecological importance.
Even though they are rarely mentioned in conservation conversations, fungi are vital to life as we know it. They create symbiotic interactions that are essential to agriculture and forestry, recycle nutrients, and promote plant growth. According to a Terra official, this project is revolutionary. “It provides fungi with the platform for conservation that they have long deserved.”
Now, visitors to Expo City Dubai may take in interactive exhibits and live conservation efforts, encouraging public interest in environmental science and sustainability.
