FFSC Events Archive

Get more info on the Holiday Potluck page.

Alan Rockefeller is our speaker. His subject will be Mushrooms of Mexico and using technology to identify mushrooms. He will be sharing recent finds from his four months of travel in Mexico this year including several new species of bioluminescent fungi, and the technology using Mushroom Observer, iNaturalist, and other internet forums and DNA sequencing.

Alan Rockefeller is a photographer, computer hacker, biohacker and mushroom identification specialist who currently lives in Oakland, California. In 2001 he began his autonomous studies in the field of mycology, beginning with the collection of fungi in California. Each year since 2007 he has traveled to Mexico to collect mushrooms, and has now photographed more than 1,000 species of fungi from Mexico. Based on phylogenetic and microscopic analysis he has identified several species not described in the scientific literature. Alan regularly identifies mushrooms for several fungus fairs in Mexico and the USA in addition to identifying fungi on websites such as Mushroom Observer, Facebook, the Shroomery and iNaturalist.

We are partnering again with Quail Hollow Ranch for a trio of mushroom activities! Although the local weather has been too dry for much wild mushroom activity, no one will leave empty handed or with an empty stomach.

• First, a docent-led walk will focus on local habitats where mushrooms are found and the roles fungi play in the ecosystem, as well as mushroom identification plus documenting observations with the iNaturalist application.

• Next, enjoy a hands-on demonstration of economical techniques for growing your own mushrooms using readily available materials. Emphasis will be on using free or waste materials to produce your own edible or medicinal mushrooms. Each participant will leave with their own made mushroom growing project.

• Finally, participants will learn practical mushroom cooking techniques from a local chef and sample some savory mushroom treats.

This event is a collaboration between the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz and the County of Santa Cruz Department of Parks, Open Space, and Cultural Services.

We have all heard the legends – the hunter in the woods who knows where to find all of the mushrooms and other treasures.

We have that remarkable and ephemeral character speaking to the FFSC! He is Michael Wood.

Michael Wood has been seeking and finding mushrooms for more than 35 years. He is a past President of the Mycological Society of San Francisco. He is the creator and curator of MykoWeb.com – perhaps the single best website for exploring California mushrooms. He is a coauthor of California Mushrooms, the Comprehesive Identification Guide. His collection of pictures is truly remarkable.

If you haven’t had the opportunity to walk in the woods with Mike, this is the next best thing. This is a presentation you will not want to miss.

More info about this event is on our Fall Mushroom Dinner page.

Our speaker for September is Dr. Kabir Peay from Stanford University. Kabir did his doctoral studies At UC Berkeley and now heads a highly regarded mycological research program at Stanford.

Over more than 20 years, Kabir has research the plant and mycological succession following the devastating Mt. Vision fire in Pt. Reyes in 1997. He will present an overview of his most recent and his historical observations about an area that is near and dear to many FFSC partisans. He will discuss other current research from the Peay Lab at Stanford. Dr. Kabir Peay completed a master's degree at Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Science (F&ES) and PhD from UC Berkeley's Dept. of Environmental Science, Policy and Management (ESPM), where he worked with Matteo Garbelotto and Tom Burns. He has a fairly broad training in ecology and mycology, although his primary research focus has been community ecology. He encourages people in his lab to use a wide range of experimental approaches and technical tools, such as remote sensing, stable isotopes, gas exchange analysis and molecular genetics to study a number of ecological topics. In his research, he works across multiple spatial scales and a broad range of experimental settings, from microcosm bioassays to manipulative field experiments and tries whenever possible to pair greenhouse and field studies to provide maximum scientific inference. He works primarily on plant-fungal interactions (specifically mycorrhizal symbiosis) but open to other systems if the techniques and theory used are useful.

Find out more about this event on our Alaska Long Distance Foray page.

Find out more on our Suds n Shrooms page.

A group of beer-loving mushroomers will be gathering for a sip and nibble at Beer Thirty in Soquel at 4:00 on Sunday, June 23. Bring food to share and your own plates, serving utensils, etc. Purchase beer there! Afterwards folks can head across the street to Michael's on Main for the Grateful Sunday show till 9.

This class was originally taught by Dennis Desjardin, Professor of Mycology at San Francisco State University, now taught by his student, B. Perry, offers this fantastic class annually. This workshop provides a week-long examination of the spring mycoflora of the Sierra. Students are presented both an overview and the the finer points of identification, including the use of the microscope, various reagents. This is a great introduction and a good way to up your ID skills. You'll meet fellow fungiphiles from different areas and have a great time in a beautiful place. Details follow below.

This is a class offered by San Francisco State University and not by FFSC. We however highly recommend our membership to take the class, and offer scholarship support for members. We hope that those who attend would then be equipped to give us a hand at the ID table at the Fair and other events. This is a great opportunity to expand your own knowledge and be a resource for the community as well.

To register go to https://sierra.sfsu.edu/

Juniper Harrower is our scholarship recipent for her studies on the complexities of species under climate change as both ecologist and an artist.

Symbiosis under climate change: Investigating Joshua trees and their mycorrhizal fungi

Can you imagine Joshua Tree National Park without any Joshua trees? The iconic tree is under threat from climate change and may be extinct from its namesake park within a human lifetime. The places where they live could become too hot and dry for them or the species that they depend on to survive. Joshua trees have an intricate symbiotic relationship with an unknown community of mycorrhizal fungi. In exchange for plant sugars, these fungi provide the trees greater access to limiting nutrients, and may help fortify them against disease and drought. However, I have found that these relationships exist on a spectrum of mutualistic to parasitic outcomes depending on the species involved and where the symbiosis is happening. My research looks at how the interaction between the trees and fungi may change with climate and other environmental factors and considers how we can best manage for their future survival. I further investigate these topics as a multimedia artist - creating animations, an online dating site for Joshua trees, and an experimental painted soil study - to highlight and explore the complexities of these relationships, and to share their incredible beauty.

Juniper Harrower studies the complexities of species interactions under climate change as both an ecologist and an artist. As a PhD candidate in Environmental Studies at UC Santa Cruz, her research focuses on the symbiotic interactions between Joshua trees, their soil fungi, and moth pollinators in Joshua Tree National Park. She uses current science methods and a multi-media place based art practice to investigate the outcomes of human influence on ecological systems. By approaching her study system through art and science, she hopes to better understand the form and function of the organisms she studies as well as share the hidden beauty of these threatened species interactions with others. Harrower’s research is published in both science and art scholarly journals, and has contributed to shaping environmental policy and advising the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s review of Joshua trees for endangered species status. Her work is exhibited locally and internationally in galleries and museums, and her research and artistic products have received broad exposure in popular media such as National Geographic, the associated press, podcasts, music festivals and conferences. Visit www.juniperharrower.com to view her online portfolio.

Join enthusiasts from the Santa Cruz Fungus Federation for a trio of activities!

This event is a collaboration between the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz and the Santa Cruz County Parks Dept.

First, a docent-led walk will focus on local habitats where mushrooms are found and the roles fungi play in the ecosystem, as well as mushroom identification plus documenting observations with the iNaturalist application.

Next, enjoy a hands-on demonstration of economical techniques for growing your own mushrooms using readily available materials. Emphasis will be on using recycled or waste materials to produce your own edible or medicinal mushrooms.

Finally, participants will learn practical mushroom cooking techniques in the Quail Hollow kitchen from a local chef and sample some savory mushroom treats.

Age 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult.