Salt Spring foray by SVIMS members May 10 2025

On May 10th, 2025, members of the Mushroom Enthusiasts of Salt Spring Island (founded by Vail Paterson), together with experts from SVIMS, the South Vancouver Island Mycological Society (including their Mid
Island Chapter), and the VMS, the Vancouver Mycological Society, conducted a mycoblitz of the
Nature Conservancy Canada (NCC) Reginald Hill Conservation Area on Salt Spring Island. 

NCC permission was obtained to survey along designated trails of this 161-hectare woodland, and also to conduct a limited collection of fungi as necessary for identification purpose. 

Salt Spring’s Rosemarie Keough produced a detailed report of the event with many photos of the mushrooms found.

Monthly Meeting September 4, 2025

The September 4 monthly meeting will be at a new location:

Pacific Forestry Centre
506 Burnside Road West
Victoria BC  V8Z 4N9

Doors open at 6:30pm to socialize and identify mushrooms.

Leah Bendlin

 will speak with us about

Common Fall Mushrooms and their Lookalikes

See more details about her below the poster.

Leah Bendlin is a Portland based mushroom and community science enthusiast. She caught the mycology bug after her first outing hunting chanterelles with a friend. She was amazed at the diversity of other mushrooms that day, and set out to learn the science of identification. That curiosity proved insatiable, and now, 12 years later, she has become an expert taxonomist and aspires to learn the name of every mushroom she encounters, and delights in teaching others. Leah has special interests in taxonomy, uncommonly known edibles, mycoheterotrophic plants, slime molds, ascomycetes (cup fungi) and social justice. She regularly leads mushroom ID classes and walks through various Pacific Northwest organizations and has volunteered as a teacher, identifier and board member of the Oregon Mycological Society. You can find her Instagram page, focused primarily on teaching mushroom species of the Pacific Northwest at
https://www.instagram.com/leah_mycelia/

SVIMS Volunteer Appreciation Picnic 2025


The SVIMS Volunteer Appreciation Picnic (formerly President’s Picnic)  is an annual tradition where we gather with the SVIMS community to celebrate all those who volunteer their time and talents to make it all happen! Please join us for a potluck-style picnic and prize draw! Sign up here. Saturday, June 14th, 2025, 11:00am to about 3:00pm 11:00am to noon: arrival and socializing, set up your dishNoon: lunchAfter lunch: prize draw (Butchart Gardens tickets, t-shirts with new logo, edible mushrooms, mini survival kits + more.)

 

Location: Ourdoors, TBA

For: Active SVIMS members +1 guest What to Bring

    • A dish (appetizer, side, main or dessert) for around 6-8 people. Please bring serving utensils and an ingredient list for your dish
    • Your own seating (blanket, chair, etc), cutlery, dishes, cup, napkins, and libations (Coffee, tea, and water provided.)
    • A guest, if you wish
    • Mushrooms to have identified and show off

SVIMS Volunteer Appreciation Picnic 2025

The SVIMS Volunteer Appreciation Picnic (formerly President’s Picnic)  is an annual tradition where we gather with the SVIMS community to celebrate all those who volunteer their time and talents to make it all happen!
 
Please join us for a potluck-style picnic and prize draw! Sign up here.
 
Saturday, June 14th, 2025, 11:00am to about 3:00pm
 
11:00am to noon: arrival and socializing, set up your dish
Noon: lunch
After lunch: prize draw (Butchart Gardens tickets, t-shirts with new logo, edible mushrooms, mini survival kits + more.)

 

Location: Ourdoors, TBA

For: Active SVIMS members +1 guest
 
What to Bring
    • A dish (appetizer, side, main or dessert) for around 6-8 people. Please bring serving utensils and an ingredient list for your dish
    • Your own seating (blanket, chair, etc), cutlery, dishes, cup, napkins, and libations (Coffee, tea, and water provided.)
    • A guest, if you wish
    • Mushrooms to have identified and show off

SVIMS Foray to the Rae Leigh Addition April 2025

In 2024, BC Parks Foundation acquired a 15-acre parcel that adjoined John Dean Park. The parcel is slated to become part of the park.

SVIMS was invited to survey the biological diversity on this tract. On April 26, 2025, a group of SVIMS members made their way into the hilly area. (See adjoining map–The red outlines the addition, the green is John Dean Park.)

The walk was arranged by Mel Hesz. David Walde, Elora Adamson, Vail Paterson, and Ann McCall led the foray.

Results were collected in an iNaturist project that SVIMS set up for the tract. About 75 different species were recorded. Nearly 30 of these species were fungi.