Monthly Meeting: Fungal Collections of the UBC Herbarium
Greetings VMS! And a big welcome to our new members from the Spring festival.. Apologies for the late announcement this month, I promise this one is worth the wait! Fungal collections at the UBC Herbarium: Overview and recent developments Presentation by Justin Ngo 7pm Tuesday, June 10th @ Floral Hall (5251 Oak St.) Justin Ngo is one of two Curatorial Assistants under Karen Golinski at the Bryophyte, Lichens, and Fungi Collections at the UBC Herbarium, located in the Beaty Biodiversity Museum. He graduated from UBC with a Bachelor of Science studying predominantly plant biology, though many of the courses he has taken as an undergraduate student have touched upon the immense physiological and molecular complexity of the fungi. Having worked at the UBC Botanical Garden and the Temporal Ecology Lab in Forestry before beginning this position, he has had experience in handling delicate botanical material and managing large databases. The UBC Herbarium in the Beaty Biodiversity Museum holds more than 91 thousand accessioned dried fungus and lichen specimens, serving as a key resource for fungal and lichenological research, university education and public outreach. The two collections, which emphasize B.C. specimens, are housed in 90 specially-designed cabinets in a unique, publicly-accessible space. […]
Monthly Meeting/ Foray with Leah Mycelia
ID Walk at Pacific Spirit Park with Leah Mycelia September 9th @ 11 am Next week, before our monthly meeting, we will be having a guided walk in the forest to look at the fungi of Pacific Spirit Park, which is home to a vast and diverse fungal community. Our special guest mycologist, Leah Bendlin will help to identify the specimens we encounter and talk about the fungal associations within our local ecosystem. Please join us at the parking area (4915 W 16th Ave) at 11 am sharp on Tuesday. The walk will be on the paths only and solely for educational purposes, leaving as little impact on the public space as possible. Feel free to bring your family, friends, kids, and leashed dogs. You don't wanna miss out on this! -- Correction for our September 9th meeting! Our speaker, Leah Bendlin will be presenting a talk on mycoheterotrophic plants instead of common Fall fungi. Not to worry! We will have plenty of opportunities to learn about Fall fungi in our upcoming meetings. Talk description: Marvelous Mycoheterotrophs: The Beauty and Science of Floral-Fungal Freeloaders If you've ever been fascinated by a waxy, alien looking plant without green parts in the […]
Manning Park Foray
Hi folks! We are excited to officially announce that the VMS will be returning to Manning Park once again for our annual weekend excursion from September 12-14, 2025. We'd love for you to be there! We will have lots of fun walks, talks, and bonding with your fellow fungi enthusiasts! Think of it as Mushroom Summer camp. The Last Resort Lodge in Manning Park boasts dorm-style shared accommodations for up to 50 people, and comes with amenities like shared washrooms, a communal fire pit, a dining and lounge area, access to pool and sauna facilities, and an outdoor picnic area. The VMS will provide breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as snacks and refreshments. We will be arriving at the lodge Friday evening and returning home Sunday afternoon. Please note that collecting of fungi within Manning is only for scientific purposes and not for consumption or dyes (unless folks choose to gather on their own outside the park). Pricing: Tickets are on sale NOW and likely to sell out, so act fast! Admission: $250 pp We only take e-transfer, please be ready to send one with your name in the message once you've submitted the form. The fees cover 6 […]
Fungus among us – Whistler (external event)
https://www.whistlernaturalists.ca/fungus-among-us-mushroom-festival
Urban Foray for Fall Show
details TBD
VMS Fall Mushroom Show
details tbd
VMS local foray
details TBD
Richmond Nature Show
details tbd Non VMS event where VMS will have a presence.