Vancouver Mycological Society

Fantastic Fungi Film Screening
2019-10-09 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Vancouver) | Rio Theatre, 1660 East Broadway, Vancouver, BC, V5N 1W1, Canada
Join opening night post-screening discussion with Director Louie Schwartzberg, and special guests.
When so many are struggling for connection, inspiration, and hope, FANTASTIC FUNGI brings us together as interconnected creators of our world. FANTASTIC FUNGI, directed by Louie Schwartzberg, is a consciousness-shifting film that takes us on an immersive journey through time and scale into the magical earth beneath our feet, an underground network that can heal and save our planet. Through the eyes of renowned scientists and mycologists like Paul Stamets, best-selling authors Michael Pollan, Eugenia Bone, Andrew Weil, and others, we become aware of the beauty, intelligence and solutions the fungi kingdom offer us in response to some of our most pressing medical, therapeutic, and environmental challenges.
Please note: this is not an event organized by the VMS. Please contact the event organizers for all inquiries.

VMS Meeting: Alissa Allen
2019-10-08 19:30 - 21:00 | The Usual: VanDusen, Floral Hall, 5151 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, V6M 4H1, Canada
Alissa Allen will present “Mushrooms and Lichens for Dyes: Making rainbows from fungi”
Alissa Allen is a self-taught mycologist and the founder of Mycopigments. She specializes in teaching about regional mushroom and lichen dye palettes to fiber artists and mushroom enthusiasts all over the world. Alissa got her start in the Pacific Northwest and has been sharing her passion for mushrooms for over 15 years. She has written articles for her website as well as Fungi Magazine and Fibershed. In 2015 she created the Mushroom and Lichen Dyers United discussion group and The Mushroom Dyers Trading Post. These groups have grown into a community of over 6000 members. In 2020 Alissa will host the International Fungus and Fiber Symposium in the US at a location yet to be disclosed. Alissa uses brilliant colors found in fungal dyes to entice people to take a closer look at mushrooms and lichens and the role they play in the greater ecosystem. To read more about her work, visit http://mycopigments.com/

Urban Mushroom Walk
2019-09-14 12:00 - 14:00 | Riley Park Plaza, 50 East 30th ave, Vancouver, Canada
Join us for an urban mushroom walk lead by Paul Kroeger, one of the VMS’ founding members and a local expert on mushrooms, particularly toxic mushrooms.
We’ll meet at the Riley Park Plaza, located near the corner of 30th and Ontario.

VMS Meeting: Paul Kroeger
2019-09-10 19:30 - 21:00 | The Usual: VanDusen, Floral Hall, 5151 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, V6M 4H1, Canada
Our September speaker is Paul Kroeger, one of the founding members of the VMS. He will present “Genus Amanita”.
Some of Paul’s many activities and accomplishments in this field include: researching the biochemistry of medicinal mushrooms at the University of British Columbia (UBC) as a long time research associate in their Department of Botany; major contributor to the mycological herbarium collections in the Beaty Biodiversity Museum at UBC; significant contributions to the DAOM Herbarium in Ottawa and DAVFP Herbarium in Victoria; frequent consultant for various agencies, including the British Columbia Drug and Poison Information Centre.

VMS Meeting: Michael Hathaway
2019-06-11 19:30 - 21:00 | The Usual: VanDusen, Floral Hall, 5151 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, V6M 4H1, Canada
Pine Mushrooms as World-Makers (re-scheduled from cancelled February meeting)
From Michael:
“This talk will give a brief introduction to a long-term collaborative research project that follows the harvest and trade in the pine mushroom (matsutake) from several countries around the world to its destination in Japan. I will focus on how this valuable trade is shaping the lives of several indigenous groups in Southwest China, on the eastern edge of the Himalayas, such as ethnic Tibetans and Yi. I suggest that the trade itself (as well as larger political events) are influencing the livelihoods of these people, such as how they farm and raise yak and goats, but also creating less expected changes such as fostering a kind of ethnic resurgence.”

Michael Hathaway is an associate professor of cultural anthropology at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia. He studies the intersection of indigenous politics and environmentalism in China, and more recently, has been exploring how indigeneity has emerged in the Asia-Pacific region through transnational encounters. His first book, Environmental Winds: Making the Global in Southwest China (University of California Press, 2013) explores how environmentalism was refashioned in China, not only by conservationists, but also by rural villagers and even animals themselves. His second major project examines the global commodity chain of the matsutake, one of the world’s most expensive mushrooms, following it from the highlands of the Tibetan Plateau to the markets of urban Japan. He works with other members of the Matsutake Worlds Research Group, looking at the social worlds this mushroom engenders in Canada, the United States, China, and Japan.

Annual General Meeting
2019-05-14 19:30 - 21:30 | The Usual: VanDusen, Floral Hall, 5151 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, V6M 4H1, Canada
May 14th will be our AGM! In order to vote, you will need to be a member. You can renew or join at the meeting, or online anytime.
We will have a presenter after the AGM business is done, about 8/8:30pm.
After the AGM business Gustavo de Moura will present “Kombucha: History, SCOBY, and why you should be drinking it.”
Bio:
Gustavo de Moura. BA in Accounting from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil; Graduate of the Brewing and Brewery Operation Diploma from Kwantlen Polytechnic University. Head Brewer at Oddity Kombucha since July 2018.
After deciding to move to Canada, I also moved to a new career in the brewing industry. My passion for craft beers led me to the Brewing diploma on KPU, and the love for fermented food got me started at homebrewing Kombucha. After finishing my studies at Kwantlen I got a brewer position at Faculty Brewing, a sister company of Oddity Kombucha. The head brewer position at Oddity got vacant shortly after and I took the role. Since, I’ve been constantly learning about the kombucha production process, how it ferments and how to achieve the desired flavours I want and how to constantly achieve them.

Blue Lake Spring Foray
2019-05-10 15:00 - 2019-05-12 11:00

VMS Meeting: Spencer Stuart
2019-04-09 19:30 - 21:30 | The Usual: VanDusen, Floral Hall, 5151 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, V6M 4H1, Canada
LECTURE DESCRIPTION
Beatrix Potter was a woman of many interests and ambitions, however we often come to know only one, her children’s books. Renowned for her fabulous Peter Rabbit storybook illustrations at the turn of the Century, Potter during this period was also involved in mycology and, later in life, land conservancy efforts in Britain.
Join lecturer Spencer W. Stuart as he explores three facets of Potter’s life. Beginning with her extraordinarily successful children’s tales, of which she published twenty-three, he will delve into Potter’s lesser-known involvement with the study of fungi through scientific illustration as well as writing. Now housed in the Armitt Museum in England and Perth Museum in Scotland, these beautifully executed and famously accurate watercolours continue to serve as reference to both amateur and expert mycologists alike. Finally, he will discuss her enduring legacy to the conservation of the historic Lake District of North West England, revealing not only the familiar figure we have all come to know of imagination and fairy tale but also an enthusiastic, down-to-earth Naturalist caught up in the debates of the day.
BIO
Spencer Stuart holds a master’s degree in the History of Art from the Courtauld Institute in London, England (recipient of the Director’s Award). Upon graduation he took a position with Bonhams Auctioneers where he worked closely with the North American Rare Books and Manuscripts department in Toronto and New York.
Spencer is now a collections advisor for middle to mature stage collectors of rare books, manuscripts, photographs, and prints. In concert with his advising, he is an active writer and lecturer on histories of the printed word for a variety of international publications including The Book Collector and Amphora as well as having a monthly segment with Sheryl McKay on CBC Radio’s North by Northwest as a Book Historian.
Spencer is an alumnus of both the Colorado Antiquarian Book Seminars (’18) and the Rare Book School (University of Virginia).

VMS Meeting: Daniel Winkler
2019-03-12 19:30 - 21:30 | The Usual: VanDusen, Floral Hall, 5151 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, V6M 4H1, Canada
Our speaker is the one and only Daniel Winkler, presenting the “Best of Mushroaming”, a retrospective on his decade of mushroom hunting and explorations around the world.

When traveling in rugged High Asia (Tibet & Bhutan), his native Alps, tropical South America (Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia & Suriname), as well as wild North America, Daniel is on the hunt for gorgeous choice edibles, potent medicinals, and all kinds of bizarre and colorful fungi from the most minute to massive fruitings. His favorite hounds are rain forests, be it tropical or temperate as well as alpine environments. His favorite fungi (besides all these tasty edibles) are strange Cordyceps, which triggered Daniel’s curiosity in medicinal mushrooms 20 years ago in Tibet. Recently this interest matured into a new field guide “Medicinal Mushrooms of North America” published in cooperation with Robert Rogers.

Daniel is the author of field guides to Edible Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest and California (both Harbour Publishing, 2011 and 2012) and Amazon Mushrooms (2014, co-authored). www.mushroaming.com

This event is free and open to everyone, as are all our regular meetings, although membership purchase is encouraged!

Survivors' Banquet
2019-01-19 17:00 - 21:30 | The Usual: VanDusen, Floral Hall, 5151 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, V6M 4H1, Canada
Survivors’ Banquet – members-only event
The mushroom-lover’s social event of the year! Potluck dinner with all your fellow mycophiles. Email president@vanmyco.com to register.

December VMS Meeting - Members' Night
2018-12-11 19:30 - 21:00 | The Usual: VanDusen, Floral Hall, 5151 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, V6M 4H1, Canada
Members’ Night is returning after a brief hiatus in 2017. Instead of a single speaker presenting, we’ll have several members giving mini-presentations on a fungal topic they’re passionate about. Expect to hear about interesting projects, personal trips into the fungal unknown and maybe even some VMS history!

VMS Meeting November - James Kronstad
2018-11-13 19:30 - 21:00 | The Usual: VanDusen, Floral Hall, 5151 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, V6M 4H1, Canada
Dr. James Kronstad will present “Fungal threats to human health”.
James Kronstad received his PhD in 1984 from the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Washington. In 1989, he was recruited by Dr. Michael Smith (a founder of ZymoGenetics) to join the faculty of the Biotechnology Laboratory, and the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of British Columbia. He was promoted to full professor in 1999 and was Director of the Michael Smith Laboratories (previously called the Biotechnology Laboratory) from 2008 to 2017.
For the past 30 years, Dr. Kronstad’s research program has focused on understanding mechanisms of pathogenesis for fungi that attack plants and animals. Recent contributions include collaborations on the genome projects for the cereal pathogen Ustilago maydis, the fungus Malassezia globosa (associated with skin diseases) and five strains of the AIDS-associated pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans.

Beatrix Potter: Illustrations of this World
2018-11-10 14:00 - 16:00 | VanDusen Botanical Garden, 5251 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC
Beatrix Potter was a woman of many interests and ambitions. However, we often come to know only one of these, her children’s books. Renowned for her fabulous Peter Rabbit storybook illustrations at the turn of the Century, during this period Potter was also involved in the study of fungi (mycology) and, later in life, land conservancy efforts in Britain.

Richmond Mushroom Show
2018-11-04 11:00 - 16:00 | Richmond Nature Park, 11851 Westminster Hwy, Richmond, BC
Discover the fungus among us as the Vancouver Mycological Society presents a show of local autumn fungi. Bring mystery mushrooms for identification on Sunday, November 4 between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm.
Admission is by donation and all proceeds support the Richmond Nature Park Society’s environmental education programs.
This event is suitable for all ages. Parking is limited so please consider your impact on the environment and consider travelling by bus or bike. For more information, call the Richmond Nature Park at 604-718-6188 or visit www.richmond.ca/parksprograms.

Beaty Members' Guided Mushroom Walk
2018-11-04 10:30 - 12:30 | Beaty Biodiverstiy Museum, 2212 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
Do you know where to look to find the dozens of mushrooms species that call our campus home? Beaty Museum Members are invited to join our Fungi Curator Mary Berbee to learn more about how to identify different mushroom types and where to look for them.
Meet at the museum for instructions on what to look for and then embark on an hour long walk in small groups around campus where you will collect your own specimen. The groups will meet back at the museum and vote for their favourite fungi!
You can book now at: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/beaty-members-event-2018-mushroom-walk-tickets-50419325560
A museum membership and an EventBrite registration is required to attend this popular event. Memberships can be purchased in person at the museum or online: http://beatymuseum.ubc.ca/get-involved/membership/

Mayne Mushroom Muster 2018
2018-11-03 13:00 - 15:00 | Mayne Island Agricultural Hall, 430 Fernhill Rd, Mayne Island, British Columbia, V0N 2J0
This is an opportunity to check out the amazing diversity of mushrooms on Mayne Island. We encourage you to bring in samples for discussion and identification with the help of other local mushroom enthusiasts.
There will be prizes for largest mushroom and most diverse collection.
More info at: https://mayneconservancy.ca/event/mayne-mushroom-muster-2018/?fbclid=IwAR1RkT_pQLCLayDQBhmno-gMXX-KdykAbmTZ1bfFw8thuwluzKhIjGYKn18

Richmond Art Gallery Tour & Mushroom Walk
2018-10-27 12:00 - 14:00 | Richmond Art Gallery, 7700 Minoru Gate, Richmond, BC
Artist Xiaojing Yan’s exhibition In Suspended Silence features some very fungal art. We’re participating in a group tour of the gallery, starting a 12pm, and then moving to nearby Minoru Park for a brief mushroom walk to see what’s out there.
Click here for more info about the exhibition.
Richmond Art Gallery
7700 Minoru Gate
Richmond, BC V6Y 1R8
BY DONATION – funds going to the gallery, which graciously offered this free tour

39th Annual VMS Mushroom Show
2018-10-21 10:00 - 16:00 | The Usual: VanDusen, Floral Hall, 5151 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, V6M 4H1, Canada
Come celebrate all the amazing fungi at our 39th anniversary of the show!

Fungus Among Us Festival
2018-10-12 18:00 - 2018-10-13 16:00
Organized by the Whistler Naturalists, the Fungus Among Us Festival is a great event with lots to offer! Click here for more details and to buy tickets.

VMS Meeting October - Eric DeChaine
2018-10-09 19:30 - 21:00 | The Usual: VanDusen, Floral Hall, 5151 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, V6M 4H1, Canada
Eric DeChaine will visit us from Bellingham, Washington to present “The Promises and Pitfalls of Inventorying Fungi in Cascadia”.

DeChaine is interested in the evolution and biogeography of arctic-alpine plants and fungi. He studies the effects of historic and future climates on the distribution and diversity of these organisms with the goal of identifying processes underlying speciation and endemism around the North Pacific Rim.

Manning Park Foray 2018
2018-09-21 16:30 - 2018-09-23 11:30 | Manning Park
The VMS returns to Manning Park for our annual weekend foray! September 21-23, 2018.
Join us for a weekend of guided mushroom walks, catered meals, expert presentations, and socializing with all your favourite mushroom nerds.
Early-bird tickets are now available to VMS members: Food and Lodging ($150), Food-only ($100), and Kitchen Work-Trade ($75)

VMS Meeting September - Paul Kroeger
2018-09-11 19:30 - 21:00 | The Usual: VanDusen, Floral Hall, 5151 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, V6M 4H1, Canada
Paul Kroeger will present on Common Mushrooms. Presentation starts at 7:30pm.
Paul Kroeger has studied mushrooms for over thirty-five years and is a founding member of Vancouver Mycological Society. He is considered a leading expert in field identification of mushrooms of western Canada. Paul has made a special study of “little brown mushrooms” including magic mushrooms and their relatives. He has been involved in many projects and studies about diverse aspects of mushrooms, gaining knowledge about fungal biology and ecology, and biochemistry of toxic, hallucinogenic, medicinal and edible mushrooms. Years of experience create unique insights and understanding of fungal life-ways and interactions in temperate ecosystems.

3 Week Undergraduate Field Mycology Course
2018-08-13 08:00 - 2018-08-31 17:00 | Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, 100 Pachena Rd, Bamfield, BC, V0R 1B0, Canada
The Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre (located in Bamfield, British Columbia and owned by UVIC, UBC, SFU, UAlberta, and UCalgary) is proud to offer a new course: Field Mycology this summer from August 13 – 31, 2018. The course will be taught by Dr. John Klironomos (UBC Okanagan)

Scholarships are available to undergraduate students who apply by March 1, 2018.
More information including a course description and prerequisite information:
http://www.bamfieldmsc.com/education/prospective-students/courses/detail/field-mycology
Information on how to apply:
http://www.bamfieldmsc.com/education/prospective-students/how-to-apply
Please call or email Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre with any questions.

VMS Meeting June 12 - Mark Haden
2018-06-12 19:30 - 21:30 | The Usual: VanDusen, Floral Hall, 5151 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, V6M 4H1, Canada
Our June 12th meeting is at 7:30pm in the Floral Hall at VanDusen Garden. Mark Haden will present “Psilocybin: Reflections of past and future research” and lead a discussion on the topic.
Mark is Adjunct Professor at the UBC School of Public and Population Health and Executive Director of MAPS Canada (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies). He has provided public education on drugs and drug policy for over 20 years, and worked with such entities as the Justice Institute of BC, the Vancouver Police Department, and has been invited to speak all over the world. In 2013 he was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for drug policy reform work.

VMS June Meeting
2018-06-12 19:00 - 21:00 | The Usual: VanDusen, Floral Hall, 5151 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, V6M 4H1, Canada

Herbarium Workshop at UBC
2018-05-26 13:00 - 15:00 | Beaty Biodiverstiy Museum, 2212 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
“From field to fungarium: making collections that expand our knowledge”. This
is a workshop being developed with Prof. Mary Berbee to review the purpose
and achievements of great herbaria, and to go over the proper procedures for
making collections of our local fungi for deposit and contribution to the Beaty
Biodiversity Museum.
It will likely be no cost, but space will be limited and there will be
registration; it will be for VMS members only. If you are interested, please email
info@vanmyco.com to get on the mailing list.

Growing Oyster Mushrooms on Upcycled Materials
2018-05-09 18:30 | Italian Cultural Centre, 3075 Slocan St, Vancouver, BC, V5M 3E4, Canada
Oyster mushrooms are some of the quickest, easiest and most satisfying mushrooms to grow – and they aren’t picky eaters! In this hands-on workshop we will grow them on one or more types of agricultural or urban waste products, creating delicious, nutrient-dense food-medicine. Each participant will make their own fruiting kit to take home, capable of producing at least two flushes of mushrooms. Participants will learn the life cycle, medicinal properties, identifying features and natural habitat of oyster mushrooms, and how to care for their mushroom kit, ensuring continued harvests. There will be an explanation of how the spawn was made, to give a more complete picture of the cultivation process. The workshop will conclude with a tasting of sautéed oyster mushrooms.

Info and Registration: https://italianculturalcentre.ca/blog/events/growing-oyster-mushrooms-on-upcycled-materials/

VMS Meeting May 8 – Emma Harrower
2018-05-08 19:30 - 21:00 | The Usual: VanDusen, Floral Hall, 5151 Oak St, Vancouver, BC, V6M 4H1, Canada
Our next meeting is May 8th, 7:30pm in the Floral Hall at VanDusen Botanical Garden. Emma Harrower will present “Long-distance Dispersal and Speciation in the Cortinarius violaceus Group”.
Emma is a recent PhD graduate from the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. Her interest in Cortinarius mushroom taxonomy began in Vancouver where she was fascinated by how many mushroom species there are, and how poorly understood they are. This talk willexamine the evolution and biogeography of a beautiful (and easy to identify) subgenus within Cortinarius.

Cancelled - Galiano Island Foray
2018-05-05 09:00 - 18:00 | Galiano Island
Due to BC Ferry schedule changes, there will not be enough time for a meaningful foray this weekend. If ferry service is restored by the Victoria Day long weekend we reschedule. Otherwise, perhaps we’ll make the trip over in the fall. Apologies!

There will be a foray to Galiano Island (reached from the Tsawassen ferry terminal) to be led by Kent Brothers & other members on Saturday May 5, weather permitting. This is a full day foray.
You don’t need to take a car onto the ferry — we’re walking on and walking off. We suggest you park in the lot just before the causeway — they shuttle you out to the ferry terminal and back. The ferry leaves Tsawwassen at 9:30 am (almost an hour later than in previous years), arriving at Galiano at 10:24 am. If you don’t see us on the ferry, we will be waiting just up the hill from the ferry dock on Galiano Island under the big trees until everyone is off the ferry. The return ferry leaves Galiano at 4:50 pm (almost an hour earlier than in previous years) and arrives at Tsawwassen at 5:45 pm. There is only one ferry that will get you there on Saturday, and one ferry that will be you back! Ferry fare to the island is $17.70 (age 12 & older) and the return fare is $7.80, but a 2.9% fuel rebate is deducted from these prices. Payment in cash or credit card (Visa, Mastercard, or American Express) is accepted, but debit cards are not accepted.
This is an easy hike to the bluffs overlooking Active Pass and back, moving at a slowish rate to look at all the fungi and such. We’ll aim to have a late-ish lunch on the bluffs, so bring water and food. Wear good walking shoes and clothing for unpredictable spring weather. If we are back near the ferry early enough before the ferry leaves, we may hang out at a cafe to have some food and refreshment if any are open — we’ll check on the way out.
We’ll be in parks & protected areas for most of the walk (mostly the Bluffs Park), so we won’t be collecting for the table, but rather looking for anything that’s interesting (and admiring the beautiful usually-present Amanita aprica) and explaining how to identify fungi. In previous years there were some online maps of Galiano Island, but they’ve disappeared. A rough trail map is attached.
You don’t need to register unless you’re bringing a guest (non-member of VMS). If so, please contact me at kent (at) brothers.ca to let me know how many — I just want to make sure we don’t get too many people coming out.
We don’t preclude bringing dogs on the foray, but some dogs, in their interest to see what we’re looking at, enthusiastically step all over the mushrooms and/or disturb attempts to take photos. As you know your dog best, if you think this would not be an issue and if your dog is friendly, under control, and good with large groups of folks, feel comfortable to bring him/her along. Note that there are no water sources along our route, so be sure to carry enough water for yourself and your dog. (Feel free to replace “dog” with “lawyer”, “mother-in-law”, “therapist”, etc. as appropriate.)
Because the ferry schedules can change, please consult them yourself the day before yourself to confirm departure times
If the weather forecast is for serious rain, the trip may be cancelled as there is no shelter except near the ferry terminal (plus some very limited shelter at the bluffs). Check the web site https://vanmyco.org on the morning of Sat May 5 for a go/no-go notice.

Still Moon Arts Society Streamkeepers meeting
2018-04-23 18:00 - 20:00 | Slocan Community Hall, Slocan Park, Vancouver, BC, V5R 1V6, Canada
Mycologist/artist Willoughby Arevalo and environmental artist/community organizer Carmen Rosen will present on fungal biology and ecology in Renfrew Ravine and the Still Creek Watershed and their upcoming mycelial sculpture projects Mycelial Connections and Fruiting Bodies in Renfrew Ravine. If weather is conducive this event may include a foray into the ravine.
