Canadian Mushroom Stamps 2025

Today (August 27, 2025) Canada Post released a set of five “fantastic fungi” stamps, a follow-up to a previous set of four from 1989. Keith Siefert, author of The Hidden Kingdom of Fungi, was the main expert-consultant for these. He wrote the original proposal about two years ago and followed the process through all its stages up to the little video and the web announcement. The project was triggered when the head of the Canada Post stamp department read one of the interviews he did for The Hidden Kingdom.
 
You’ll note that Keith stuck one of his career-interest microfungi in the set. Having an arbuscular mycorrhizal mushroom on a stamp may be a world first!
 

MIMSY or Mid Island Mycological SYmbionts

MIMSY or Mid Island Mycological SYmbionts are kicking off with a meeting in July to provide a meet-and-greet, plan for fall activities, and talk about mushrooms. Bring your mushroom finds and mushroomy ideas to the meeting!

This is the first of many planned meetings by the Mid- Island committee of SVIMS (a.k.a. MIMSY) for 2025. With our structure solidified and the support of SVIMS, we will host local mid-island meetings, forays, workshops, and speakers! When not hosting speakers ourselves, we will be streaming SVIMS club meetings and joining in on the fun happening South island. We aim to cover the area between Parksville and Campbell River, but may expand to include future membership needs. Join us as we discover and meet to discuss the fungus among us. Have a mushroom you want to identify, show off, or talk about? Wonderful! Bring it to the meeting. Interested in volunteering? Great! Please come to the fall -prep kick-off meeting!

Planned Meetings:

Location: North Island College, Campbell River, Room C270

Thursday, July 3, 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM – Theme: Meet-and-greet, planning, mushroom finds

Thursday, August 7, 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM – Theme: Speaker, TBD (awaiting confirmation)

Bear with us as we get going with a room that is tech-capable; for now, we will be in-person only but recording any speakers for posting afterward! We are working with NIC to secure an equipped room for September.

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.

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.