Welcome to the home page of the Mildew, Mould & Myxomycete Conservation Specialist Group. This Group has been set up in response to growing concerns that this range of poorly-known organisms (chromistan "fungi" or downy mildews, Chytridiomycetes or water moulds, myxomycetous "fungi" or slime moulds and Zygomycetes or sugar moulds), may be adversely affected by the activities of mankind. Fungi (together with other organisms traditionally grouped with the fungi) are the forgotten component of the natural world. Because they are neither plants nor animals, but belong in separate kingdoms of their own, they remain very poorly understood. Up to now the conservation movement has largely ignored them. This is a serious omission, given the enormous ecological and economic importance of these organisms.

The Mildew, Mould & Myxomycete Conservation Specialist Group provides a focus for all interested in conservation of these organisms. To avoid duplication of effort, the Group will liaise with the IUCN Specialist Group for Lichens (currently no website) and the IUCN Specialist Group for Fungi, which concentrates on the Basidiomycetes (mushrooms, toadstools and other usually larger fungi). Anyone with a genuine interest in conservation of chromistan "fungi", Chytridiomycetes, myxomycetous "fungi" and Zygomycetes may apply to join and contribute to the present Group. Its objective is to make sure endangered members of these groups of organisms get the conservation they need. To achieve that end, the Group carries out the following activities:

	a campaign to raise awareness of the importance of these organisms;
	research to determine the threats these organisms are facing;
	establishment of plans, policies and priorities for dealing with those threats;
	a long-term programme to assess the status of individual members of these groups - in particular this includes contributing this component of the IUCN Sampled Red List for Microfungi;
	provision of advice about methods and policies for conserving these organisms.