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, for an in-depth look at the diverse fungi found on the central coast. Join Christian at the Garden on Friday, February 8 from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. for an informative identification presentation on mushrooms found along the central coast. Guests will explore mushroom habitats and learn identification methods. This interdisciplinary program will engage students through a combination of classroom lecture, field exploration and hands-on exercises.
On Friday, February 8, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., Schwarz will give an informative lecture, Mushrooms of SLO County. This photo-filled presentation will cover some common mushroom taxonomy and identification methods, in addition to some of the research conducted by Christian and mushrooms he has found along the central coast and beyond. There will be Q&A time with Christian and a look at fresh specimens. Christian will be selling and signing copies of Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast. No reservations required. SLO Botanical Garden suggests a donation of $5 for Garden members and $10 for public.
The first workshop, Mushroom Exploration and Identification Basics is on Saturday, February 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Join Christian on a field trip through a portion of the SLO Botanical Garden. Guests will gather specimens for closer examination and discuss identification techniques and citizen science tools. This workshop will emphasize a dynamic sensory awareness of the mushrooms via close observation, touching, and smelling.
The second workshop, In-depth Mushroom Identification and Tasting is on Sunday, February 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In this class, students will be getting deeper into identification techniques. There will be some hands-on identification of on-site mushrooms and specimens from Christian’s collection and an opportunity to do some mushroom tasting!
Christian’s two-day workshop on Saturday and Sunday February 9-10 is currently full; to get on the waitlist for the weekend workshops, email [email protected], or call 805.541.1400, ext. 303. The price for each workshop is $60 Garden members and $70 for the public. For more information, visit slobg.org.
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.