William Padilla-Brown wears many hats as "a mycologist, teacher, and social permaculture practitioner." On this episode of The Permaculture Podcast (a show that has spent the last decade connecting listeners to experts on diverse niches within natural ecosystems), Padilla-Brown discusses what sparked his interest in mycology and what the future holds for his various projects. He credits his agricultural curiosity to spending more time in nature and noticing so many different types of wild mushrooms. This led him to a permaculture apprenticeship, where he was surprised by the lack of expertise on wild mushroom cultivation. Inspired to learn more about the process so that he could share it with others, he began down the mycology career path. Now, he is a celebrated mycologist, speaker, and founder of MycoSymbiotics (a festival that brings together mycologists, artists, and more). On the podcast, Padilla-Brown explores a range of topics such as suburban sustainability (see the December 13, 2020 episodes) and natural disasters (see the November 7, 2020 episode). Padilla-Brown hopes that recent months of social distancing have offered a unique opportunity for listeners to "look outside, even in their own backyards, and see how much nature has really provided for us."