Mystified by the seasonal appearance of mushrooms, and daunted by the complexity of fungal forms? Well, now is the time to get some in-depth and hands-on training on mushroom identification! San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden is excited to welcome Christian Schwarz from Santa Cruz, co-author of the Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast, back to the Garden for an in-depth look at the diverse fungi found on the central coast. Join Christian at the Garden on Sunday, February 24 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. for an interactive, hands-on workshop and field exploration that explores mushroom habitats and identification methods. This interdisciplinary program will engage students through a combination of classroom lecture, field exploration and hands-on exercises.
In this workshop, Mushroom Exploration and Identification Basics, join Christian on a field trip through a portion of the SLO Botanical Garden. We will gather specimens for closer examination and discuss identification techniques and citizen science tools. Our study will emphasize a dynamic sensory awareness of the mushrooms via close observation, touching and smelling.
Tickets are $60 for Garden members and $70 for the public. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit slobg.org or call 805.541.1400, ext. 303.
Christian Schwarz is a mushroom enthusiast and taxonomist and citizen science advocate from Santa Cruz, the land of milk (caps) and honey (mushrooms). He studied at UCSC, and now spends his time photographing, teaching about, and making scientific collections of macrofungi. He is coauthor of “Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast”, and is slowly building a mycoflora for Santa Cruz County. Fungi satisfy his curiosity with their seemingly endless forms (from the grotesque to the bizarre to the sublime). He has travelled in search of fungi throughout the United States, as well as Central America, Indonesia, Borneo, and Europe. Besides mushroom taxonomy and mycofloristics, he’s an excitable birder and passionate about citizen science, particularly the use of iNaturalist.
About San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden
San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden is celebrating its 30th year of sowing seeds and growing together. The Garden is located at 3450 Dairy Creek Rd. It is spread out on 150 acres in El Chorro Regional Park off Highway One between Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo. When the master plan is complete, the Garden will be the only garden of its kind in the United States exclusively devoted to the ecosystems and plants of the five Mediterranean climate regions of the world. Through its programs and facilities, the Garden fosters an appreciation and understanding of the relationship between people and nature and encourages a sense of stewardship for the natural environment. To learn more visit slobg.org or the SLO Botanical Garden Facebook page.