Give Your Spent Mushroom Substrate a Second Life

Support Wild Fungal Trust By Donating Your Spent Mushroom Substrate

At Wild Fungal Trust, we’re dedicated to preserving fungal biodiversity, restoring native mycelial networks, and educating communities about the vital role fungi play in healthy ecosystems.

But to do this work, we need more than just passion — we need your spent substrate!

If you’re a local mushroom farmer or home grower, you might be wondering what to do with those used mushroom cakes, blocks, and bags after harvest. While they may seem “used up,” these biological materials are still bursting with potential. Donating your spent substrate can directly contribute to fungal conservation, ecological restoration, and community myco-education.

Why Donate?

1. Support Ecological Restoration Projects
   Spent mushroom substrate (SMS) is rich in microbial life and can jump-start soil regeneration and decomposition processes. We use this material in habitat restoration efforts, especially in degraded urban and woodland areas, where reintroducing native fungi helps rebuild soil structure and nutrient cycles.
2. Cultivate Fungal Biodiversity
   Even after harvest, many substrates retain viable mycelium that can fruit again under the right conditions. We incorporate these materials into our living fungal libraries and use them for propagation, outreach, and teaching.
3. Reduce Waste, Increase Impact
   Rather than sending your spent blocks to landfill or compost, you can close the loop and make a tangible impact. Your discarded substrate becomes a resource in the hands of educators, scientists, and community stewards.
4. Direct Involvement in Fungal Preservation
   From cakes to philanthropy, your direct involvement in our effort helps guarantee long term preservation of already threatened, ephemeral species.

What We Accept

We welcome donations of:

• Spent mushroom blocks (oyster, lion’s mane, shiitake, etc.)
• Inoculated straw, sawdust, or grain bags
• Colonized cakes or tubs (PF-style or monotubs)
• Sterile or semi-sterile substrate with viable mycelium
• Contaminated substrate (with prior notice)

We ask that all materials be non-toxic, free of plastic liners, and ideally still moist. If you’re unsure whether your materials qualify, just ask — we’re happy to help.

How to Donate

Reach out to us at support@wildfungaltrust.org.
We also offer occasional pick-up routes in collaboration with local farms and community gardens.

Together, we can transform spent substrate into fertile ground for education, conservation, and the future of fungi.