The Purpose and Role of Wilderness Areas Wilderness areas, managed by the National Forest Service, are essential for protecting natural landscapes and ecosystems. Created under the Wilderness Act of 1964, these regions are designed to remain free from significant human interference, allowing nature to thrive. Why Wilderness Areas Matter 1. Preserving Natural Environments These areas…
The genus name Gyromitra is derived from the following: gyro – round, or convoluted. (gyroscope) mitra – headdress (Mitre, mitre joint) There are more than 10 species of Gyromitra in the Pacific Northwest with a variety of shapes from the classic brain shape to less obvious disc-shaped mushrooms. More on Pacific Northwest Gyromitra here: …
What do you do if you suspect that you, someone else, or a pet has eaten a poisonous mushroom? Time is critical. Quickly do the following 1) Gather information for accurate identification. 2) Try to determine if it’s one of the following general types of mushrooms There are very few mushrooms that when eaten can…
Morels are one of the most commonly foraged mushrooms in the United States, and likely one of the most popular around the world. They are broadly distributed globally, are very recognizable, and are relatively safe for a beginner to identify. The popularity of morels also results in a lot of misconceptions about them as well….
One of the key habitats for early-season mushroom finding in the Pacific Northwest is with cottonwood trees. Western Washinton has fewer deciduous trees than the east coast, so identification is easier. Our cottonwood species is Populus trichocarpa. To find black cottonwood, start by finding areas near rivers, streams, and lakes. The leaves of cottonwoods quite…
It comes as a surprise to many when I say that the edibility of mushrooms is on a spectrum. Poisonous mushrooms can often be eaten when prepared in sometimes quite elaborate ways. For instance, there is a method for preparing the classic Amanita muscaria in a way that can remove the toxins. This involves boiling…
Trent recently posted about the safety of eating morels that are foraged in burn zones due to the use of fire retardants in the area. You can find the original post here. Here my key takeaways from the article. Firefighters have a much greater exposure to these chemicals than a typical forager. So far there…
As we pass the winter solstice and look back on a fungi-filled autumn, here’s a fun reimagining of the 12 days of Christmas for all of you mycophiles.
As I learn more about mushrooms and spend more time observing them in the forest, it’s fun to find ways to incorporate them at home. In addition to annual cooking traditions, such as creamy chanterelle soup in the fall and spring king bolete tapenade, I’m starting to explore other ways to incorporate mushrooms at home…
*cover photo by Jason Hollinger CC-BY This started as a page that listed poisonous mushrooms in our region however ‘poisonous’ is loosely defined, and this could be an enormous list with scientific names and few useful photos. There are well over 1000 mushroom species in our region and identifying many of them correctly can be…