Registration is now open for Mushroom Education Day on Saturday, June 10, at the Powdermill Nature Reserve in Westmoreland County.  Enjoy three great topics and speakers, followed by a guided mushroom walk in the afternoon.  Here’s the full schedule:

9:00 a.m. – Registration & Sales Table Open

9:30 a.m. – Beginner Mushroom ID

Cara Coulter, WPMC Mycologist

Cara will teach methods of fungi identification that will help both beginners and advanced mushroom hunters:  where to focus, what elements are important for ID, etc.

10:40 a.m. – Fungi & Insects

Andrea Kautz, Powdermill Entomologist & Lab Manager

 Numerous relationships between fungi and arthropods have evolved over millions and millions of years. Learn about different groups of insects that function as fungus feeders, fungus farmers, and hosts for parasitic fungi.

11:40 - 12:30 p.m. Lunch (on your own)

12:30 p.m. – Permaculture Principles & Myco-Applications

Brittany Burch, Certified Permaculture Designer

We will discuss basic Permaculture definitions and go through the 12 Permaculture Principles and the relation more specifically to the fungi kingdom.  Each principle will include personal and larger scale uses and applications for home use, as well as current projects in our local communities and farms in the Mon Valley Rust Belt area.

1:45 p.m. –Mushroom Walk and ID Table

3:45 p.m. – Clean Up

The cost for the classes will be $25 for WPMC members; $30 for non-members.  Space is limited, and registration is required.  To register, go to:

https://wpamushroomclub.org/events/mushroom-education-day-at-powdermill-nature-reserve-westmoreland-county/