The Whistler Naturalists would like to thank everyone who participated in another fun Fungus Among Us Mushroom Festival, which was completely sold out this year.

 

We started off the festival by visiting 13 classes at the local schools on Thursday and Friday and taking them on field trips in the woods.  The students all seemed to enjoy hunting for mushrooms just as much as Easter eggs!  Some were searching for the smallest mushrooms, some were seeking out mushrooms that would be suitable for making spore prints and some were just seeing what was out there! Thanks to very special guests Kevin Trim, Ben Hircock, Andy MacKinnon, Paul Kroeger, Bryce Kendrick and Emma Harrower.

 

The Saturday morning forays brought back a huge diversity of mushrooms for the afternoon display tables. At least 180 species were found (some still to be ID’d), of which at least 17 are new to our list. This year’s results bring the total number of mushrooms now documented in Whistler to almost 900!

 

We couldn't run the festival without our fabulous mushroom gurus who gave talks, led walks, and labelled and presided over the mushroom display. Special thanks to the presenters: Rich Mably (Fungal Fotos), Jim Ginns (Polypores), Thom O’Dell (Best Edible and Poisonous Mushrooms), Kevin Trim (To all the fungi I’ve loved before) and Andy MacKinnon for hosting the BYOM (Bring Your Own Mushroom) contest.

 

Our popular gourmet wild mushroom tasting wouldn't have been possible without the great expertise and wonderful creativity of Chef Bruce Worden, Nester’s Market and Milestones.

 

Thanks also to the amazing group of volunteers who helped out and all the folks that came out to share their enthusiasm and wonder for all things fungal.

 

Finally, the Whistler Naturalists would also like to thank our key sponsors: The Community Foundation of Whistler, AWARE and RMOW.  Thanks also to Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Whistler Library, Pasta Lupino and Avalanche Pizza.

 

See you next year, as always, the weekend after Thanksgiving.

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            Photos courtesy of Joern Rohde