Intro to Mushroom Identification, October, 2009

Environmental, Outreach, & Stewardship Alliance presents:

Intro to Wild Mushroom Identification on the Olympic Peninsula
An overview of wild mushroom species, edibility/toxicity, and field identification methods

Course ID: BIO - 302
Friday - Sunday, Short Course / Retreat
October 30 - November 1, 2009, (2.5 Days)
Olympic National Forest
Olympic Park Institute-Lake Crescent
111 Barnes Point Road
Port Angeles, WA 98363
Directions
Instructor: Thom O'Dell, Ph.D., Mycologist

Register Online |Directions

Description: This course provides an introduction to wild mushroom identification. Emphasis is on basic identification skills, including edible mushrooms and their poisonous look-alikes. Students will learn what to look for and terminology used to distinguish common mushrooms and their relatives. Basic fungal biology and ecology will be discussed. Advanced students are welcome and would also benefit from the class.

About the Instructor: Thom O’Dell has over twenty five years experience collecting, studying, growing and eating mushrooms. He has many publications including scholarly papers, books, chapters and field guides. He received his Ph.D. in Botany and Plant Pathology from Oregon State University in 1992 and conducted field ecological studies in Olympic National Park as a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow. Thom was the first regional mycologist for the USDA Forest Service where he supervised surveys for rare fungi and trained federal botanists in their identification. He currently works for The Remediators Inc., a soil bioremediation company in Port Angeles, WA commercializing methods to clean contaminated soil using fungi.

Course Topics:

Friday - October 30, 2009, 10:00 A.M. - 8:00 P.M.

10:00 Introductions, course objectives, safety

10:30 - 12:30 Intro to mushroom identification:
fungi and mushrooms – what are they?
gilled versus non-gilled mushrooms;
overview of identifying characteristics;
is it edible?

12:30 - LUNCH

13:00 - 16:00 Field trip around OPI/Marymere Falls Trail

16:00 Lab and specimen ID; focus on non-gilled fungi

Saturday - October 31, 2009, 8:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M.

08:00 - 12:45 Field trip to Soleduc Falls

13:00 - LUNCH

13:30 - 17:00 Lab and specimen ID; focus on gilled fungi, demonstration of microscopy and microscopic features

17:00 - 18:00 Fungi of the Olympic Peninsula

Sunday - November 1, 2009, 8:30 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.

08:30 – 11:30 Lab

11:30 – 12:00 Closing remarks, course evaluations

Intended Audience: Nature enthusiasts seeking improved wild mushroom identification skills. This class has a 20 person maximum.

Course Materials: Each participant will receive a copy of the course proceedings including notes and reference material on the first day of the course.

Required Textbooks: Arora, David. All That the Rain Promises, and More: A Hip Pocket Guide to Western Mushrooms, buy this book.

*Additional reference material will be provided.

Continuing Education Units: 2.0

What to Bring: Please bring a sack lunch for Friday, a water bottle, close toed shoes, and weather appropriate clothing as much of this class is outdoors. Click here to see a complete list of items we recommend you bring.

Registration: $425. Registration includes accommodations, food, and course materials. You may register via the link below or by calling EOS Alliance at 206-762-2553.

Registration and Payment Policy: All registrations cancelled before 5 P.M. on September 25, 2009 are fully refundable. All registrations made between September 26, 2009 and October 10, 2009 are 50% refundable until 5 P.M. on October 10th. The registration fee becomes 100% non-refundable on October 11, 2009. Registrations may occur up to the day prior to the course provided that space is available. Maximum number of attendees is limited to 20.