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Fungi with the Fun Guy at Audubon Meeting August 18

The fungi in your backyard may all be “mushrooms” to you, but before putting one in a salad you need to know if it’s edible, inedible, hallucinogenic or poisonous.

On Monday, August 18, the High Country Audubon chapter presents the wonders of fungi through the eyes of Dr. John Bond, ASU biology professor emeritus. The program, Fungi with the Fun Guy, will help you avoid mistaken mushroom identity so you don’t pick Amanita virosa, the destroying angel, thinking it’s Armillaria mellea, honey fungus.

The meeting will be held at the Watauga County Public Library beginning at 6:30 p.m. and is open to the public at no charge.

At this time of year, mushroom hunters abound, seeking the rich, edible wild mushrooms that grow in western North Carolina. For individuals who aren’t experts in mushroom identification, however, there generally are no easily recognizable differences between poisonous and nonpoisonous species.

The Audubon program will enhance your identification skills, teach you how to forage for and store wild mushrooms properly, offer tips about medicinal benefits and provide recipes for healthy cuisine with various mushrooms.

Hunting for mushrooms is a direct, positive experience with nature, one that’s guaranteed to raise your environmental awareness. It’s part of Audubon’s mission to provide opportunities to learn more about the world around us.

Annual membership in the High Country chapter is open to all interested bird and nature enthusiasts for $10. You can read more about the High Country Audubon at www.geocities.com/hcaudubon/index.html, where you will find chapter news, information about the listserve and links to other important bird sites. For more information, contact Jesse Pope at 828-733-4326 or highcountrybirder@yahoo.com.

Want To Go?

Date: Monday, August 18
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Watauga County Public Library
Cost: Free