On Sunday, October 8, 2023, SVIMS members and guest Alison Pouliot gathered at the Heatherbell entrance to Royal Roads University to see if mushrooms were poppin’. For the most part, they weren’t. Searchers still managed to turn up more than 30 species of fungi.
The results of the foray are posted on iNaturalist. You can view them here. As always, iNaturalist counts may change as other people weigh in on the observations.
Shannon Adams is our speaker for the evening. Her topic:
Cortinarius 101 – Identifying the Genus, Conservation & Edibility.
More information is below her photo.
This is a zoom-only meeting – members should have received a link from our SVIMS President.
6:45 pm to socialize. 7 pm to start.
Do you love learning about mushrooms but think ‘Cortinarius’ is too hard? It doesn’t have to be that way! Shannon will help you recognize distinctive features of Cortinarius and how to differentiate them from common ‘lookalikes’, and then take you on a rich visual tour to appreciate species diversity. During the talk you will get to know some of our most notable Cortinarius ‘celebrities’ and have new resources for ID when you find these diverse and beautiful species.
Shannon Adams is a User Researcher in the tech industry who has a passion for the genus Cortinarius. When she emigrated from Australia 20+ years ago she was struck by the diversity and beauty of Cortinarius species she saw in the Washington Cascades, and started trying (and failing) to identify them. For the past 6 years, she has been collecting and documenting Cortinarius species and has over 1,200 collections in her personal herbarium.
In 2021 she led the publication of a new Cortinarius species – Cortinarius rufosanguineus – and has recently worked with other Cort experts to describe three additional species she will introduce to us. Shannon is here to spread her love of the Cortinariaceae and to give you resources to help you get to know BC species.
It’s that time of year again. Warmer temperatures, watered lawns, and imported boulevard trees equal death cap mushrooms, Amanita phalloides. Two weeks ago they were reported from Oak Bay. Now they have been spotted in Comox (again), near Filberg Park.
Andy MacKinnon did a CBC radio segment yesterday (July 12, 2023) for the All Points West program on Death Caps.
The 2023 SVIMS President’s Picnic was a big hit this year. It was hosted, as custom dictates, by the current president (Mel Hesz). This time it took place at the home of ex-president Andy MacKinnon. Forty to fifty people showed up at Andy and Mairi’s beautiful property overlooking Metchosin’s Witty’s Lagoon. People brought an amazing variety of creative dishes for the lunch.
This Sunday is our first President’s Picnic, since Covid! This is a lovely event to socialize & share stories. Guests are welcome!
Please remember to bring:
A main meal or dessert for 6 people Portable chair Cutlery Plate/bowl Mug/cup Drink of choice Fungi for identifying or chatting about (not mandatory due to dry season)
Arrival: 11:30am
Location: 504 Witty Beach Road, Metchosin
Parking on street.
– Be aware that on a sunny weekend, the beach is busy, and parking can extend up the road.
– You’re welcome to park in the driveway to drop off chairs, food etc, but cannot remain parked there. Please do NOT park on lawn, as it’s a septic field, which would be damaged by doing so!
– House on right side, at very end of road, next to trail entrance to Witty’s Beach.
– BBQ available, as is kitchen for food prep, heating up etc.
Great article in the new Macleans about a couple setting up a truffle farm in the Okanagan. SVIMS ex-president Shannon Berch provides the couple with helpful advice.