NAMA Manning Park Foray 2026

NAMA, the North American Mycological Association, hosted its second-ever BC foray at E. C. Manning Park from June 1-4. Many members of SVIMS and VMS were part of the production crew and attenders.

NAMA had not been to BC with a foray event since its 1990 Whistler foray.

BC presenters at the event included Paul Kroeger (the mycologist-in-chief), Andy MacKinnon, Elora Adamson, and Kem Luther. Facilitators included Melanie Hesz, Marshall Archibald, and Aril Yeo.

The main focus of the aptly-named “Similkameen Valley Foray and Feast” was food. There were hands-on culinary workshops, and the evening meals were prepared by several well-known chefs. During the day, some of the participants forayed for morel mushrooms in burn locations near the park.

The science aspect of the event centred around the MycoMap BC Project. About 200 specimens were collected, vouchered, and sent for sequencing.

MycoMap BC coordinators Ann McCall and Elora Adamson at the voucher processing table.

A retrospective video of the foody part of the NAMA foray by chef Julie Schreiber. Video used by permission.

May 7 2026 SVIMS Presentation by Monika Fischer

May 7, 2026 SVIMS Meeting

Talk title: Rising from the ashes: how fungi survive and thrive after fire

Talk description: What happens to an ecosystem when fire sweeps through—and what does that moment look like from the perspective of a fungus? While flames may seem purely destructive, for many fungi, fire is a signal: a sudden opening of opportunity.

In the immediate aftermath, specialized “fire-following” fungi emerge almost overnight. Hidden in the soil as spores or dormant structures, they respond to heat and chemical cues, often growing rapidly through ash and charcoal. These early responders begin breaking down charred material, unlocking nutrients, and reshaping the post-fire environment.

Among them, Pyronema plays a starring role. Often appearing as bright patches on burned ground, it helps jumpstart ecological recovery by stabilizing soils and accelerating nutrient cycling—laying the groundwork for plants and other organisms to return.

Seen through the lens of fungi, fire is not just an ending—it’s the beginning of a dynamic and essential renewal process.

Monika Fischer is the recently appointed Assistant Professor of fungal biology at UBC Vancouver. Research in her labs seeks to understand the molecular mechanisms that mediate fungal interactions and drive ecological processes, especially in the context of fire.

Monika wasn’t always a biologist. Her first passion was food. She was as a chef for several years before she got bit by the fungal bug while working at a farm-to-table restaurant in Washington. A strong desire to understand how fungi interact with each other and their environment propelled her through a biology bachelor’s degree at University of Washington in Seattle and then a microbiology PhD and postdoc at UC Berkeley in California, which is where she started studying the genetics and ecology of fire-adapted fungi. (More on Monika and her students at her lab website.)

Monika is also giving a talk at UVic on the afternoon before her SVIMS talk. SVIMS members are welcome to attend, in person or online. See poster below.

SVIMS Pearson Foray Spring 2026

Twenty-five SVIMS members gathered on a warm and sunny Saturday at the Pearson College parking lot on April 4, 2026, for a mushroom foray on the college’s trail system.

Searchers found about 30 different species. Most of them can be seen on iNaturalist at these links to Kem Luther’s and Andy MacKinnon’s posts. Since the focus was on collecting samples to submit for sequencing to the BC MycoMap project, not all species were recorded on iNaturalist. Among those seen but not recorded were Amanita pantherinoides, Amanita constricta, Trichaptum abietinum, Formitopsis mounceae, and Inocybe palidicremea.

Some of the interesting observations included: (click photo to see the corresponding iNaturalist entry):

SVIMS: The Next Generation (2026)

Speaker 1:

Grey Wolfgang Mueller

Dyeing with Local Mushrooms

Grey was born in Nelson, BC. He spent his early years living a very rural life on a land co-op in the forest, where he enjoyed gardening, beekeeping, foraging, and raising chickens. When he was five years old, he moved to Victoria. Since then, he has continued his love of nature through rock hounding, gardening, beach clean-ups, camping, nature crafts, and, most recently, getting involved in SVIMS.

His earliest memory of being interested in mushrooms was in grade two, when he created spore prints as art and shared his discoveries with his classmates.

Grey is now in grade nine at the Pacific School of Innovation and Inquiry, a high school based on a student-led inquiry process.

This past summer at the Saanich Fair, he discovered that mushrooms can be used for dyeing while visiting the Victoria Weavers’ Guild tent. Since then, he has been experimenting with creating dyes from mushrooms.

He will share what he has learned about preparing dyes using three different local mushrooms. He will also talk about how different fabrics and mordants can affect color. Grey will bring samples of his work, including clothes he has made, and will share resources for others who want to explore the world of mushroom dyeing.

Speaker 2: 

Dana Nygard

Knowledge through Nature Journaling and the Mycology of Southern Vancouver 

In this presentation, Dana Nygard invites you to slow down and rediscover the natural world through the lens of nature journaling and the fascinating mycology of Southern Vancouver Island. By observing not only the mushrooms themselves, but also the interconnected ecosystems they inhabit — from trees and lichen to mosses and forest microhabitats — Dana explores how art and curiosity can deepen our ecological awareness.

She will share insights from her ongoing practice of field sketching and journaling, emphasizing the value of noting key identifying features of fungi, foraging wild foods responsibly, and experimenting with spore printing, mushroom-based dyes and inks. This mindful approach to art and observation celebrates the creativity and wonder that emerge when we engage closely with nature.

Speaker #3

Teresa Klemm

Mushroaming in Bhutan

Join Teresa on a journey to the Kingdom of Bhutan to explore the wonderful world of mushroaming: a blend of mushroom foraging, ecology, and cultural discovery.

 Teresa began photographing mushrooms over 30 years ago. Her very first subject was a ghost pipe (Monotropa uniflora)—a striking find, though she later discovered it wasn’t a mushroom at all, but a plant. That moment taught her to be humble and sparked a lifelong curiosity about the fungal world.

Since then, her interests have grown to include culinary mushrooms and species identification. Over the years, she has spent time learning from fellow enthusiasts at SVIMS, gaining new knowledge with every season. A dedicated member since 2003, Teresa continues to explore the fascinating, ever-surprising world of fungi with camera in hand and curiosity intact.

2026 SVIMS Spring Outing to Metchosin Wilderness Park

SVIMS members made a spring foray to Metchosin Wilderness Park on February 7, 2026, as a followup to Paul Kroeger’s annual talk. A group of 25 fungal fans, a few of them on their first SVIMS foray, spent two hours chasing down examples of spring fungi.

Paul Kroeger, Andy MacKinnon, and Kem Luther were walk leaders. Foray coordinator Caroline Pap did the check-in, check-out.

The focus was on collecting specimens for the BC MycoMap Project. Some of the collected specimens can be viewed on iNaturalist. 

(Click on the pictures below to see the associated iNaturalist observations.)

Members survey the bounty on a boulder--Kem pretends he has a clue.
Tremellodendropsis tuberosa, Ashen Coral. Photo by Roanan De Meyer
Geoglossum, Earthtongue. Photo by Roanan De Meyer

Mushroom Cultivation Workshop Spring 2026

Spring 2026 Cultivation Workshop

with local expert Steve Fischer

March 1, 2026

Two workshop times available (please only register for one):

     – Morning workshop: 9:00am – 12:00 noon

     – Afternoon workshop: 1:00pm – 4:00pm

  • All materials provided; donations accepted (proceeds go to SVIMS)

  • Blenkinsop & McKenzie area, specific location TBA to registrants

  • Members who have not taken a cultivation workshop with SVIMS before will be prioritized

  • ACTIVE SVIMS members only


Sign up Cultivation Workshop

Steve drills a bale, Elora watches