Denman Island’s First Mushroom Fest!
…or if you are into alliteration: First Fungus Fest! With either, we are celebrating the return of moisture!
Those sun lovers amongst us already may be planning their evacuation to sunny shores…but WAIT…first enjoy the wet-season’s fungal delights.
Renown mycologist and botanist Andy MacKinnon of the “Plants of (all parts) of BC” author fame, will be presenting a slide-talk introducing our Denman Island fungi Friday October 3rd in the back hall at 7:30pm, hosted by the Denman Conservancy Association. The following day he and his colleagues will lead fungal walks with a 10 am Sat. rendezvous at the Old School.
On Friday night please bring the mycologists any fungal samples or photos about which you are curious. Also please consider joining the after-slide-show fungus-celebrating music gathering at the Bistro on Friday evening. The best “mushroom hat” adorning a slide-show attendees’ head will win the “fun-fungal prize of 2014”. So please consider creating a forehead fungal focus!
Many fungi we know on Denman Island grow in partnership with the roots of trees and other woody plants in our forests. These mycorrhizal fungi exchange moisture and minerals for nutrients with the woody plants. Other fungi are parasitic or saprobic and come in a variety of forms. Overall their benefits to humans and the ecosystems in which we live are many. Andy will introduce us to fungal function, their structures, identification and many other delights. The Denman Island Mushroom Festival will help to honour our humble fungal neighbours!
