Ten priorities for citizen science projects in mycology

Citizen science has become an increasingly important approach in advancing biodiversity research but is unevenly applied across taxonomic groups. Fungi, despite their extraordinary diversity and ecological importance, are underrepresented in citizen science initiatives and associated research outputs. To help address this gap, we developed a set of ten prioritised principles to help guide the design and implementation of citizen science projects in mycology. Our work draws from multiple sources of knowledge, including published literature, an international workshop involving 20 participants with expertise in mycology and citizen science, and a subsequent online survey completed by 53 respondents including workshop participants and external experts in mycology. From an initial set of 74 proposed actions grouped into 18 thematic categories, we identified ten priorities. These cover the so-called life cycle of citizen science projects, from understanding participant motivations and raising awareness of the value of fungi to ensuring appropriate infrastructures, training, feedback, scientific outputs, and long-term participant engagement. Together, our ten priorities provide a coherent framework for strengthening citizen science in fungal research, adaptable across geographic regions and project scales. By integrating expert and practitioner perspectives, this paper offers actionable guidance for researchers, coordinators, and institutions seeking to develop citizen science projects in mycology.