Celebrate Mayne Island mycology with special guest Paul Kroeger from the Vancouver Mycological Society

Mushrooms – you either love them or you hate them. If you are a mushroom lover, and have never experienced the flavour of the wild varieties that are a part of the biodiversity of SKTAK | Mayne Island, this series of events is going to be the perfect cup of Chaga for you.

It’s often said that without mushrooms there can be no forests. Fungi play many roles in sustaining diversity and healthy habitats in a forest ecosystem. They are the principal decomposers within ecosystems, absorbing dead and decaying plants and animals and recycling nutrients so that they are available again for other organisms.

Mushrooms come in all shapes and sizes, some are considered a delicacy, others are deadly poisonous, while yet others have medicinal qualities not readily found in any other food source. All the more reason to learn basic skills in identification, including the habitat where some of those most delicious varieties are most likely to be found. That is what our weekend extravaganza is all about!

Our guest speaker, Paul Kroeger, is a well-known Mycologist from the Lower Mainland and is considered a leading expert in field identification of mushrooms of western Canada.

Schedule of Events on Saturday, November 2nd:

9:30 am to 11:00 am: Guided Walk at Mount Parke

View mushrooms in their natural habitat. A perfect primer for the novice mycologist. Fee $10 per person (children 15 and under free).  Pre-registration required. (limited to 25 people).  Register online here. 

1:00 pm to 2:30 pm: Mushroom Identification at the Ag Hall

Bring in your mushroom collection for our expert and volunteers to identify. Prizes will be awarded! (Please forage responsibly, do NOT harvest from Parks or Conservation areas, do not trespass on private property, and do not harvest every specimen you see.) Admission by donation

3:00 pm to 4:00 pm: Mushrooms and People at the Ag Hall

Public talk with Paul Kroeger. This eclectic talk covers the various ways people interact with mushrooms. Admission by donation

7:00 pm to 9:00 pm: “Magic Mushrooms”: History and Modern use in BC (doors open at 6:30) at the Ag Hall

Public Talk with Paul Kroeger. A brief introduction to the Magic Mushrooms discusses their ancient use, rediscovery in Mexico in the mid-twentieth century, and their early role in BC’s counter-culture and that legacy in the present day. Paul reflects upon their mixed impact on modern society, why they became prohibited, and how they may yet become valued medicines. 2024 is the 60^th anniversary of their discovery on a BC Farm.  Tickets: $10. Register online here.

Paul Kroeger Biography:

Paul has studied mushrooms for over forty years and is a founding member, former president and current director of the Vancouver Mycological Society. He is considered a leading expert in field identification of mushrooms of western Canada. Paul has made a special study of “little brown mushrooms” including the so-called magic mushrooms and their relatives.

Some of Paul’s many activities and accomplishments in this field include: researching the biochemistry of medicinal mushrooms at the University of British Columbia (UBC) as a long time research associate in their Department of Botany; making major contributions to the mycological herbarium collections in the Beaty Biodiversity Museum at UBC; making significant contributions to the DAOM Herbarium in Ottawa and DAVFP Herbarium in Victoria; and frequently consulting for various agencies, including the British Columbia Drug and Poison Information Centre.

Paul is known as a deeply experienced, skilled, and entertaining speaker.