Fungus Among Us

Presented by the Whistler Naturalists Society, this two-day mushroom festival unites fungophiles around presentations and guided walks by mushroom experts, a gourmet wild mushroom tasting and a mushroom display, which allows participants to gather, share conversation and explore the day’s many finds. AWARE is proud to be the charitable partner for this Whistler Naturalist’s annual event.

Fungus Among Us brings provincial experts together to take inventory of Whistler’s diverse and abundant fungi. In spite of over a decade of surveying, Fungus Among Us continues to identify fungi previously udocumented in the region. All new species are added to the Whistler Biodiversity Project catalogue for community use and benefit. The total number of fungi currently on the Whistler Biodiversity Project list is 865.

It’s a way of getting information out to a wider audience about a group of organisms that most people don’t think about very often and they certainly don’t realize how important the fungi are in the biosphere. I’m always going around saying, ‘No fungi — no forest.’ That’s a good saying because every tree in the forest has a vital relationship with some of the fungi that live in the soil there.

 

– Bryce Kendrick, Mushroom Guru

Interest in this event continues to grow annually bringing together many first-time attendees with long time mushroom lovers and supporters of the event. This event raises awareness surrounding the magnitude of mushroom species that call Whistler home and promotes environmental stewardship.

“We love that our event can reach out to so many different groups of people who are so excited to learn about fungi!  Environmental stewardship happens when people appreciate nature; and appreciation of nature is a result of education.” Kristina Swerhun, Naturalist

Learn more about the event and how to get involved:

Fungus Among Us