Mushroom lecture and workshop set in Fairbanks

July 13, 2018

Mushroom expert Gary Laursen will lecture and lead a workshop on Interior Alaska's wild and edible mushrooms July 27-29 in Fairbanks.

Photo by Tricia Wurtz. Morels, like these held in a cap, tend to show up the year after forest fires in conifer and hardwood forests.

Participants will collect, identify, and learn how to prepare and preserve wild mushrooms. Mushrooms will be collected in several walks around Fairbanks and identified. The University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service will host the course, which will also cover the ecology of mushrooms and current issues.

Laursen has studied fungi around the world for more than 40 years and has offered mushroom identification classes across Alaska. The mycologist has written several books on fungi, including, most recently, “Alaska’s Mushrooms: A Wide-Ranging Guide,” which he co-authored.

The lecture will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. July 27 in the UAF Murie Building auditorium, and the workshop will meet in field locations on July 28-29.

Individuals may sign up for the lecture only or for the full course. Fieldwork is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 28 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 29. Registration is requested by July 26 to ensure minimum enrollment. The fee is $100 for the entire course or $20 for the Friday night lecture only. Online registration is available at https://bit.ly/FairbanksMushroom18.

Participants are advised to dress for the weather. For more information, call the Extension district office at 907-474-1530 or contact Leslie Shallcross at lashallcross@alaska.edu or 907-474-2426.