Common Mushroom Checklist
This file contains a Common Mushroom Checklist for the Pacific Northwest area, composed of species commonly found and displayed at the Mount Pisgah Arboretum Annual Mushroom Show, during the 1983 - 2002 years.
The Fabulous Mushroom on Science Friday, NPR
Two weeks ago (9/12) Science Friday had a one hour radio show on “The Fabulous Mushroom,” featuring people calling in and asking questions to an expert panel. You can listen to the show in a stream or downloadable mp3 from their website at www.sciencefriday.com. There is also a video, below, check it out!
Paula Fong Design CMS 2007-2008 T-Shirts Are Here!
Local artist Paula Fong’s beautiful morel design has made its way to the 2007-2008 Cascade Mycological Society T-Shirt, available now at all talks and CMS events in a variety of earth-tone colors and sizes. Get your t-shirt soon before your size or color sells out.
About the artist: Paula R. Fong specializes in illustrating plants in their natural habitat. Her unique blend of detailed artistry and scientific accuracy has won her praise from both artists and scientists alike. CMS will be hosting a talk by Paula Fong on April 10th, 2008.
Paula is pleased to offer limited edition prints of her Pacific Northwest botanicals. The originals are in watercolor with pen & ink, on her website, Paula Fong Illustrations.
Ongoing CMS Student Scholarship/Grant
CMS is proud to offer the Outstanding Research Project Scholarship for the first time in 2008. The scholarship is for college students (community college, undergraduate, or graduate) who are engaging in mycology research. The scholarship will be awarded for the research project that forward the understanding of the biology and ecology of fungi or that demonstrates the practical uses of fungi. The successful candidate will receive up to $1,000 and will be expected to present the results of her research at a CMS general meeting. Applications are due March 1, 2008.
Usual Foray Meeting Location
Our regular foray meeting place is the South Eugene High School located at 400 E. 19th Ave. You’ll find us in the parking lot on the east side of the school (Patterson and 19th). Depending on circumstances the group may gather in the NE or the SE side of the lot. This parking lot is occasionally a meeting place for more than one group of outdoor enthusiasts. If you’re unsure, just ask some of the folks milling about if they are associated with CMS.
Map of South Eugene High School
Mushroom Picking Permit Information
This information is provided for your general information and is liable to change without notice. The Cascade Mycological Society makes no guarantee as to the accuracy of this information. Please check with the appropriate offices for any changes. When eating mushrooms, it is vital that you are positive about identification. Poisonings occur when people eat incorrectly identified mushrooms. Using a good identification guide helps, but does not guarantee that you have a good ID. Be sure you know what you have before eating mushrooms!
Bureau of Land Management, Eugene District
2890 Chad Drive
Eugene, OR 07408
541-683-6600
No personal use permit is required; however picking is limited to one gallon per day per person (this includes all species, edible or not). Having more than one gallon of mushrooms in your possession without a commercial permit is regarded as theft, and you can be ticketed.
Other Districts (Salem, Medford, Coos Bay, Tillamook) do not necessarily have this restriction.
Siuslaw National Forest
(This is also called “incidental use.”) People visiting the Siuslaw National Forest may collect up to one gallon of mushrooms per person per day with no permit or fee required. Up to 6 of these mushrooms may be matsutake. However all matsutake mushrooms collected under incidental use must have at least ½ inch of the stem cut off immediately after picking. Selling or exchanging mushrooms gathered incidentally is a violation of Federal regulations (Title 36 CFR 261.6F), punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 or imprisonment for not more than 6 months, or both.
Quantities under this permit are unlimited. Each person picking must have a permit and be at least 18 years of age. Permits may be purchased for one month of consecutive days (there is no limit to the number of permits per person per year). A one year permit is also available. Regular commercial permits do not include matsutake mushrooms. Only the following edible mushrooms are included: Chanterelles, Boletes, Oysters, Sulfur Shelf Fungus, Slippery Jack, Imperial Cats, Hedgehogs, Shaggy Manes, Lobsters, Cauliflowers, Pig’s Ears, and Coral Fungus.
Quantities under this permit are unlimited. Each person picking must have a permit and be at least 18 years of age. The permit will list other specific terms and conditions that apply to picking matsutake mushrooms. This is only sold as a six month permit, one permit per person per year. The exception is at the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, where 100 permits are offered once a year. Purchase the permit from the District office where you plan to harvest, either the Hebo, Florence, or Waldport Office or the Supervisor’s Office in Corvallis. Permits start at the 100 pound minimum and cost $27.50. They are good for one week. There are six areas on the Eugene district to pick in. For the Eugene District BLM, commercial permits can only be purchased at the Eugene District office on Wednesdays 8 to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. Other Districts (Salem, Medford, Coos Bay, Tillamook) do not necessarily have this restriction.
Willamette National Forest
541-225-6300
After Oct 12th personal use permits will be available at the Forest Office in Eugene Federal Building between 6th and 7th Avenues on High Street. Before then, permits must come from the Lowell office on Pioneer St. in Lowell (follow 58 East from Eugene about 20 mi . Hours: M-F 8-4:30 ). They are also available at the McKenzie River Ranger District office. A personal use mushroom permit issued from any of the following five forests is valid on all five forests. Deschutes, Willamette, Umpqua, Fremont, Winema. Personal use permits are free. Collections are limited to 2 gallons per day, 10 days per year (days may be non consecutive). Permits may be renewed. There are restrictions that vary by District, such as requirements to cut specimens in half. Be alert to frequent changes to the permit details, especially regarding Matsutake mushrooms. Make sure to check any regulations on the permit itself, such as whether it needs to be in your possession, and if there is a map attached.
For commercial use, a fee is charged. For more information about how to get a permit, fees, or regulations covering collection, please contact the Forest Service office nearest your intended activity.
U S National Forests
Info on permits: www.fs.fed.us.
Info on policy: www.fs.fed/us/r6/willamette
Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests
(541) 383-5300 or (541) 416-6500
All personal collection of mushrooms requires a personal use permit which can be obtained at all Forest Service offices for the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests. These permits have some differences in conditions, restrictions, and requirements. The Ochoco National Forest has a mushroom permit that is valid only on the Ochoco. Deschutes is part of the five forest permitting system noted under the Willamette, and personal use on the Deschutes is currently covered by the permit you get at the Willamette.
All commercial collection of mushrooms requires a commercial use permit which can only be obtained at District Forest Service offices for the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests. There are two types of commercial permits: Permits for Matsutake mushroom; and, Permits for all mushroom species other than Matsutake.
For information contact the Oregon dept. of Forestry at 503-945-7200 or 503-945-7420.
It goes without saying that one should get permission to pick on private lands. Neighbors or public land agencies may be able to help you find out who owns the private land you are interested in.
Important guidlines to follow when collecting and eating wild mushrooms…
Click here to download a PDF copy of our edibility guidelines.
There are many species of delicious wild mushrooms which grow in our area, and learning to find and enjoy these gifts is satisfying on many levels. Caution should be exercised as there are many species that are not considered edible and may cause various levels of discomfort if eaten, and a handful that contain potent toxins that can cause permanent organ damage, or even death. For your safety and enjoyment, please follow these guidelines, and always remember: “when in doubt, throw it out!”.
- Every mushroom you plan to eat should be ACCURATELY IDENTIFIED as an edible species.
Despite folklore to the contrary, there are no simple guidelines which will separate edibles from other species. You must assume the responsibility to identify all wild mushrooms you collect to eat with 100% confidence. Many edible species have toxic look-alikes; learn what these are, and don’t rely only on photographs or drawings! - Never eat raw mushrooms.
This applies to all mushrooms: improved digestibility, flavor, available nutrition and the elimination of some potentially harmful substances all result from thorough cooking. However, be aware that cooking will not eliminate all types of toxins and will not make poisonous mushrooms edible. - When trying a mushroom species for the first time…
Eat only ‘two’ cooked teaspoons of one species, and wait at least 24 hours before eating any more of that species or trying another new species. A few people have an allergy to one particular mushroom species, just as some people are allergic to shrimp, wheat, dairy or other foods. If you are eating new species for the first time, and you eat more than one species and have a reaction you won¹t know which species you are allergic to. So sample new species one at a time (one per day maximum), and for the first sample, limit to two teaspoons. Keep a whole, uncooked sample of the mushroom species in your refrigerator in case the identification needs to be confirmed later. - Do not consume alcohol when trying a mushroom for the first time.
Wait until you are sure you are not allergic to a particular species before having it with wine or beer. When consuming a new mushroom species, the presence of alcohol may produce stronger allergic reactions. Also, one species of the genus Coprinus (the shaggy manes) reacts with alcohol resulting in uncomfortable symptoms. Before eating any shaggy mane, learn to identify the one which causes this reaction, and its look-alikes. - Only eat fresh mushrooms.
You wouldn’t eat moldy or rotting produce from the grocery store -the same should be true for wild mushrooms. - Do not eat fungi growing on ornamental trees. In some cases toxins in the wood may be incorporated into the fungal tissue. (A recent instance of illness in Eugene was reported from eating Laetiporus growing on black locust).
- Be aware of where you are collecting your edibles.
Mushrooms can readily pick up chemicals from the environment. Never consume edible species from a lawn where fertilizers or pesticides might have been applied. Avoid collecting along busy roads or anywhere near old dump sites. Do not eat fungi growing on ornamental trees. In some cases toxins in the wood may be incorporated into the fungal tissue. A recent instance of illness in Eugene was reported from eating Laetiporus (sulphur shelf or chicken-of-the-woods) growing on black locust.
ENJOY! Having an understanding and appreciation of the variety and beauty that surrounds us in the fungal world will enrich your diet and your life! Version 2003.10
Meeting Location/Directions
The most likely location for Cascade Mycological Society general meetings is Lane Community College: Building 16, Room 115.
Directions:
Northbound (from the south) on Interstate 5
Take exit 189, and at the stop sign, turn left and continue west to the first intersection. Go straight through the intersection and continue along 30th Avenue. Turn left on Eldon Shafer Drive to access the east parking lots, or stay on 30th and take the first exit to the right after the intersection to access the west parking lots.
Southbound (from the north) on Interstate 5
Take exit 189 and continue to the traffic light. Turn right at the traffic light and go straight until the next intersection. Turn right at the intersection. Turn left on Eldon Shafer Drive to access the east parking lots or continue to the first exit on the right to access the west parking lots.
From Downtown Eugene
Take Willamette Street south to 29th Avenue and move to the left lane. Turn left on to 29th and move into the right lane. Go six blocks until 29th ends at Amazon Parkway and turn right. Move to left lane and continue straight on Amazon through the intersection at Hilyard, and Amazon Parkway becomes 30th Avenue. Proceed east on 30th up and over the hill until the exits to Lane appear on the right. The first exit goes to the parking lots on the west side of main campus. The second college exit leads to the parking lots on the east side of campus.
Main Campus
4000 East 30th Avenue
Eugene, OR 97405
(541) 463-3000
source: http://www.lanecc.edu/