Mycologist Erin Blanchard Will Attend the 2014 Mushroom Festival

Erin Blanchard is one of the invited mycologists who will be identifying the fungi at this year’s Mt. Pisgah Mushroom Festival.

Erin Blanchard

About Erin Blanchard

Erin is studying the taxonomy and identification of fungi. Originally from San Diego, she moved north to San Francisco five years ago in favour of the damp weather and flourishing fungi.  She has been an active member of the Mycological Society of San Francisco and Bay Area Mycological Society, and has been involved with other California Mycology Clubs in organizing and setting up events. Erin has identified fungi for the annual MSSF Fungus Fair, San Diego Mycological Society, Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz, Point Reyes Fungus Fair, Marin Mushroom Mania, Point Reyes MycoBlitz, Humboldt Bay Mycological Society, Northeast Mycological Federation, UC Berkeley Fungal Survey of Yosemite, among other events.

Erin has moderated a message board for Mushroom Hunting and identification; she consults wild crafted food businesses, and has organized and led mushroom forays in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has worked with Dr. Else C. Vellinga sequencing the DNA of Paxillus and co-authored a poster presentation for the Mycological Society of America conference in 2009.  She has also been involved in research efforts directed by the UC Berkeley Mycology Department to identify and document species of fungi in Yosemite National Park and Point Reyes National Seashore.