Living Lab Ávila

The Mycotourism Living Lab will be an innovative meeting and collaboration space designed to promote the sustainable development of mycotourism in rural areas. With a strong commitment to territorial cooperation and the creation of networks between key players, the event seeks to co-create authentic mycotourism experiences, based on the valuable natural and cultural mycological heritage of each territory.

The Ávila Living Lab will be structured in three round tables with the participation of international experts from France, Italy, the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and Spain. These panels will address essential topics for the growth of the sector, including:

• The role of mycological associations in the development of mycotourism from a scientific perspective, highlighting their contribution to the conservation and dissemination of knowledge about fungi and truffles.
• The opportunities for international collaboration to strengthen the mycotourism sector, promoting synergies between territories with a strong tradition in mycology.
• The improvement of learning and dissemination infrastructures to enrich the mycotourism offer, ensuring quality experiences for visitors and professionals.

As a complement to the debates, the event will feature a Culinary Hub dedicated to the “authentic mycological cuisine”, motto of the Micotour network, specialized in gastronomy based on mushrooms and truffles. In this space, chefs and scientists will explore the culinary potential of the fungi kingdom, offering tastings and gastronomic demonstrations that highlight the richness of these ingredients.

In addition, the program will include a series of conferences and a guided tour by specialists, designed to discover the main mycotourism resources of the province of Ávila. All the results of the Living Lab will be accessible to the public through the Mycotour web platform, consolidating shared knowledge and facilitating the connection between actors in the sector.

This event promises to be a milestone in the evolution of mycotourism, generating new opportunities for its sustainable development and its integration into rural tourism.

Carlos García González. President of the Provincial Council of Ávila.
Ana Muñoz Llabrés. General Director of Tourism Policies of the Secretary of State for Tourism.

Carlos Casillas. Chef of the Michelin-starred Restaurant Barro (Ávila).
Sandrina Heleno. Mountain Research Centre of the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (CIMO). Portugal.
Cristina Mallor. Center for Agrifood Research and Technology of Aragon (CITA).
Neftali Velilla. Fungiverso Project. Tuficas Rio Pilas. Teruel.
Jaime Olaizola. CEO. IdForest. Palencia.

Pascale Malenfant. Le Kamouraska Mycologique. Québec (Canada).
Jérôme Sauveplanne. Councilor for the environment, participatory democracy, and management of fairs and markets of Le Vigan (France).
Nuria Mignone. European projects Manager Piedmont Region. Italy.
David Villada. Forest Promotion Service. Junta de Castilla y León.
Rubén Escribano Gil de Gómez. Fungiverso Project. MicoAragón.

Enrique Fernández Villamor. Mycological Reserve of Gredos Provincial Council of Ávila.
Paloma Lorente Sebastián. Truffle Museum Tuber Universum. ATRUTER (Teruel).
Yolanda Santos Soria. Councilor of Tourism. Soria City Council.
Fanny Diaz. Mycological Territory in Le Vigan (France).
Ricardo Forcadell. Silvalia Observatory and Fungiverso project. Qilex Cosultoria Forestal.

Expert participants: forest managers and owners of Mycological Parks, mycological associations, mycological companies, rural development agents, mycological restaurants and international scientists.

1. 1. Alberto Sáez Serrano, Complutense University of Madrid (Spain).
   2. Alexis Guerin Laguette, Secretary of the International Workshop on Edible Mycorrhizal Mushrooms IWEMM (New Zealand).
   3. Ángel Moretón, CEO of e-Spain. Valladolid (Spain).
   4. Asun Morte Gómez, Professor of Botany at the University of Murcia (Spain).
   5. Beatriz de la Parra Peral, CEO of ECM Ingeniería Ambiental. Ávila (Spain).
   6. Carlos Casillas, Chef Michelin Restaurant Barro. Ávila (Spain).
   7. Clément Richard, Agrocampus Ouest Angers (France)
   8. Cristina Antón, Predoctoral Researcher in Market Intelligence and Marketing from the University of Valladolid (Spain).
   9. Cristina Mallor, Researcher at the Agri-food Research and Technology Center of Aragon (CITA). Zaragoza (Spain).
   10. David Villada, Head of the Forest Promotion Service. Junta de Castilla y León. Valladolid (Spain).
   11. Enrique Fernández Villamor, President of the Federation of Mycological Associations of Castilla y León (FAMCAL). Ávila (Spain).
   12. Fanny Diaz, Mycological Territory of Le Vigan (France).
   13. Fernando Guillén Pérez, Head of Agricultural Services. Provincial Council of Teruel (Spain).
   14. Fernando Martínez Peña, Tenured Scientist of the Spanish National Research Council (INIA-CSIC) and Director of the European Mycological Institute (EMI)
   15. Jaime Olaizola, CEO of IdForest. Palencia (Spain).
   16. Javier Marcos Martínez, Mycologist with a degree in Biology and Biochemistry. Cuenca (Spain).
   17. Jérôme Sauveplane, Councilor for the environment, participatory democracy, and management of fairs and markets of Le Vigan (France).
   18. Jesús Lamata, President of the Mycological Association San Martín de Moncayo (Zaragoza).
   19. Joaquin Latorre Minguell, Mycotourism researcher and Secretary General of the European Mycological Institute (EMI).
   20. José Andrés López Pérez, Agri-food Innovation and Transfer Foundation of Aragon. Zaragoza (Spain).
   21. José Gerardo López Castillo, President of the Andalusian Federation of Mycological Associations (FAMA).
   22. Juan Andrés Oria de Rueda Salgueiro, Professor at the University of Valladolid. Palencia (Spain).
   23. Juan Francisco Redondo, Gredos Guides. Ávila (Spain).
   24. Juan Manuel Velasco, Mycological Association of Salamanca and Vice President of FAMCAL
   25. Miguel Angel Navarro, Deputy of Agriculture. Provincial Council of Teruel (Spain).
   26. Nahuel Pazos Pacini, Research chef at the Basque Culinary Center Innovation (BCCinn). San Sebastián/Donostia (Spain).
   27. Neftalí Velilla, Fungiverso Project. Tuficas del Río Pilas. Mora de Rubielos, Teruel (Spain).
   28. Nuria Mignone, European projects Manager. Piedmont Region (Italy).
   29. Paloma Lorente Sebastián, Association of Truffle Growers of Teruel ATRUTER. Sarrión, province of Teruel (Spain).
   30. Pascale Malenfant, Le Kamouraska Mycologique. Saint-Pascal, Québec (Canada).
   31. Ricardo Forcadell, CEO Qilex Forestal. Teruel (Spain).
   32. Robert Chang, Director of the Napa Truffle Fair (USA).
   33. Rubén Escribano Gil de Gómez, Association of Mycological Parks of Aragon. Tramacastilla. Teruel (Spain).
   34. Sandrina Heleno, Mountain Research Centre of the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (CIMO) Portugal.
   35. Víctor Hernández Andrés, University of Valladolid. Soria (Spain).
   36. Yolanda Santos, Councilor for Tourism. Soria City Council (Spain).