Alberta Mycological Society

"Lichens as Living Collaborations: What It Takes to Build One" Webinar by AMS Graduate Award Winner Arseniy Belosohkov
2025-12-18 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Edmonton)
Lichens as Living Collaborations: What It Takes To Build OneLichens are famous as partnerships between fungi and algae, yet after more than a century of trying, mycologists still do not have a reliable “lab lichen” that can be rebuilt from known parts. In this talk, I will take you behind the scenes of my graduate research on lichen resynthesis, from historical experiments with spores on agar plates to modern questions about potential hidden partners, new layers to the basis of the lichen symbionts’ relationships and what is still needed to be understood to grow a lichen thallus.

AMS Webinar: Mycorrhizal Fungi
2026-01-15 18:30 - 20:00
Presenter: Jacob Beauregard
PhD student at the University of Alberta in the mycorrhizal ecology lab of Dr. Justine Karst
Webinar: Mycorrhizal Fungi: Diversity, Function and Mysteries of the Underground
Mycorrhizal fungi are globally distributed plant symbionts. While multiple groups of mycorrhizal fungi exist, they share the fact that they form intimate relationships with plants – from the arctic to the tropics. However, mycorrhizal fungi span an incredible diversity of species and functional traits, not only within groups but between them. Whether with grasses, orchids, or your favourite tree, they are playing important roles right beneath your feet! Many questions remain in regard to their impacts on soil ecosystems, the other microbes that live with them, and how they play into making plants more resilient to changing environments. Join us in exploring who they are, what they do, and everything we don’t yet understand about them!
Presenter:
Jacob is a PhD student at the UofA in the mycorrhizal ecology lab of Dr. Justine Karst. While he is from Vancouver, BC, he recently moved to Alberta from Quebec and has a background in forest conservation, management and microbial ecology. Jacob fell in love with fungi and never turned back – from mushrooms to molds, he leads a mycocentric life and is on a mission to bring fungi to the forefront. He believes that fungi are for everyone from everywhere and that we just need to get their stories out there! While fanciful fungal stories do exist, he believes they are wild and mysterious enough without the need for embellishment. He likes to live by the mantra – less hype, more hyphae and hopes you’ll be equally inspired by the many mycological mysteries already out there!
His Lab:
https://lab.karst.ca

AMS Webinar: Slime Moulds of British Columbia
2026-02-19 18:30 - 20:00
Presenter: Tyson EhlersWebinar: Slime Moulds of British Columbia
Tyson Ehlers is a professional biologist and ecologist from the Slocan Valley, BC, focussed on
biodiversity, conservation, and species and ecosystems at risk. He has been a passionate student of
fungi for most of his life and works to document species diversity and protect wild mushroom habitat.
He has amassed an extensive specimen collection and contributed to scientific research, regional
inventories, and conservation status assessments. He has led numerous workshops on wild mushroom
identification and co-authored a local guidebook: Mushrooms to Look for in the Kootenays. More
recently, Tyson has turned his attention to slime moulds (Myxomycetes), which has led to the discovery
of a species new to science and collaboration on an upcoming book about these fascinating organisms in
BC.
Tyson has been a naturalist as long as he can remember, having grown up in the rural South Okanagan
Valley where he spent much of his time chasing critters. His early fascination with the natural world was
fueled by some great mentors who helped shape his career. Mushrooms ended up being the most
enduring pursuit, providing the greatest rewards in terms of adventure, income, sustenance, and
intellectual curiosity. They also taught him about patience and humility, and the diversity of life at
smaller scales. As mushrooms have gained popularity, his interests have gravitated to smaller things, the
lesser known species groups and organisms that are poorly studied.
Over the past 5 years or so, Tyson and his colleagues Ryan Durand, Pam Janszen, and Andy MacKinnon
formed the unofficial “BC Myxo Working Group”, dedicated to researching slime moulds in British
Columbia. These strange organisms are even more cryptic and smaller than many fungi and have largely
been excluded from traditional biological inventories. Slime moulds may have an unfortunate common
name, but they are elegant and intriguing and have a fascinating life cycle. They are enigmatic creatures,
neither animal nor plant nor fungus; they dance to their own rhythm amongst the myriad organisms
that weave together the fabric of life on this planet.
In this photo-rich presentation, Tyson will introduce the world of slime moulds, their anatomy, biology
and habitats, how to collect and identify them, and present some of the findings from the BC Myxo
Working Group.

AMS Webinar: 13 New Fungi Species in Alberta
2026-02-25 18:30 - 20:00
Presenter: Jose MalolesWebinar: 13 New Fungi Species in Alberta
Calicioids are a diverse group of tiny, stubble-like lichens and allied fungi traditionally studied by lichenologists. Many calicioids grow in highly specialized microhabitats, making them good indicators of natural areas with high conservation value. However, appreciating this fascinating group of lichens requires a good understanding of their taxonomy which had yet to be tackled in Alberta. In this talk, I will share our study that examined the calicioid flora of Alberta which uncovered a whopping 72 species (more than doubled the 31 previously known to the province). The flora includes comprehensive descriptions, distribution maps and images of 93% of the species in the province.

About the Presenter:
Jose completed his Masters in Ecology at the University of Guelph, Ontario, and has a background in vegetation monitoring, species conservation and taxonomy. He became captivated by the diverse lichens of eastern Canada, where he developed a keen interest in calicioids. Currently, he works as a Lichen Taxonomist at the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, where he continues to share his love for these tiny species!

2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM)
2026-03-21 10:00 - 16:00 | Devon Community Centre, 20 Haven Avenue, Devon, Alberta, T9G 2B9, Canada
Annual General Meeting 2026
This year the Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held in person and virtually on Saturday March 21, 2026 at the Devon Community Centre in Devon, Alberta at no charge to participants.

Location is:
Devon Community Centre
20 Haven Avenue
Devon, Alberta T9G 2B9 Canada

The Devon Community Centre opens to the membership at 9:30 a.m. and the AGM starts at 10:00 a.m. Breakfast pastries and lunch will be provided for those attending in-person.
The AGM will be held in accordance with the Society Bylaws and will include

Reports on the work of the Society in 2025
The 2025 Audited Financial Statements
Elections of board members – there are vacancies on the board. If you are interested in joining the board you may complete a nomination form here.

AMS Merchandise will be available for sale
RSVP below for AGMOnly members with an active AMS membership can vote at the AGMAGM AgendaProposed Bylaw ChangeAnnual General Meeting Presentation A Resilient Planet Needs Fungi Now: The Secret Lives of Fungi
Overview: Fungi are weird, fungi are cool, and fungi are beautiful. But how much do we really know about them? For starters, they do much more than just rot things. They control pretty much all life on our planet and are everywhere. Britt Bunyard’s lecture will present fascinating stories and beautiful photos of amazing fungi featured in his latest book. Discover the crazy, wonderful life that goes on all around us, mostly hidden in plain sight.
Britt A. Bunyard, PhDBritt A. Bunyard, PhD, is the founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of the mycology journal Fungi, in print since 2008. Britt is a former university professor and has published over 100 academic and popular science papers. He has served as an editor for mycological and entomological research journals, and mushroom guide books.
A popular evangelizer on all things fungal, Britt has given more than 250 invited lectures to academic and popular audiences across North America and beyond. He has been featured on the BBC World Service’s Newshour, NPR’s All Things Considered, PBS’s NOVA and Wisconsin Foodie television programs; and interviewed or quoted in Discover magazine, The Atlantic, National Geographic, Vox, Vogue, Forbes, Saveur, Eating Well, Hobby Farm, Women’s World, and other magazines and newspapers.
Britt has collected fungi and lectured throughout North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Annually, he leads mycological expeditions throughout the world. One such expedition, was the subject of an award-winning documentary film “Look Down Not Up” (2022), produced by documentary filmmakers Alok Siddhi Tuladhar and Dusty Shiva Panthi of Kathmandu, Nepal.
Britt has authored several books, including The Lives of Fungi (2022; Princeton University Press) which is sold all over the world and translated into Italian, German, Spanish, and Chinese languages. Additional titles include Fungi of the World: A Guide to All Phyla (2026; Princeton University Press), Atlas of Fungi (2026; Princeton University Press), Fungi Decoded (2025; Penguin Random House), The Little Book of Fungi (2024; Princeton University Press), The Beginner’s Guide to Mushrooms (2021; Quarry Books), Amanitas of North America (2020; The Fungi Press), and
Mushrooms and Macrofungi of Ohio and Midwestern States (2012; The Ohio State University Press).
Coming in 2027: Fungi: A Practical Field Guide (Quarry Books).
Britt has served as Executive Director of the Telluride Mushroom Festival since 2014 and was awarded the “Dr. Emanuele Salzman Award” for service to the Telluride Mushroom Festival in 2024. In 2021 he was awarded the Gary Lincoff Award “For Contributions to Amateur Mycology,” by the North American Mycological Association—NAMA’s most prestigious honor for American mycologists.Join us after the 2026 AGM for the President’s Dinner by Chef Lindsay PorterTickets for AMS Non-MembersTickets for AMS Members

Non-Member Pricing for 2026 President's Dinner by Chef Lindsay Porter
2026-03-21 18:01 - 22:00 | Devon Community Centre, 20 Haven Avenue, Devon, Alberta, T9G 2B9, Canada
Chef Lindsay Porter
This year the President’s Dinner will be held on Saturday March 21, 2026 at the Devon Community Centre in Devon, Alberta.

Location is:
Devon Community Centre
20 Haven Avenue
Devon, Alberta T9G 2B9 Canada

President’s Dinner – Celebrity ChefNot often does one have a Celebrity Chef preparing their meal…
Chef Lindsay Porter is a decorated executive chef from Edmonton, Alberta, known for her leadership at prominent local restaurants and her prolific career as a “competition chef” on major networks like Food Network. She graduated from the NAIT culinary arts program in 2006, with her culinary career spanning nearly two decades, characterized by executive roles in Edmonton and international experience.

Media & Television Appearances

Porter has become a staple of culinary competition television, appearing on numerous high-profile shows.

Program
Network
Outcome / Role

Top Chef Canada
(Season 10)
Food Network Canada
Competitor (First Edmonton-based chef to compete)

Guy’s Grocery Games

Food Network (US)
Winner (Noodle Games episode, 2017/2018); appeared twice

Fire Masters

Food Network Canada
Winner (2019)

Beat Bobby Flay

Food Network
Competitor (2020)

Iron Chef Canada

Food Network Canada
Sous Chef for Shane Chartrand

Dish with Mary

AMI-tv
Guest Chef (Featured in Episode 7)

Menu Cash Bar: Mushroom Infused Cocktails – Wine – Highballs
Mushroom Menu 2026
Course 1 – The Garden
Mini soil garden with almond, carrot, celery, beet, greens, beech and trumpet mushroom, crispy rice and a creamy porcini dressing
Course 2 – Grilled Truffled Portabellas
With beef tartare, rosemary honey, capers and parmesan
Course 3 – Asian Mushroom Expression
Grilled lions mane soup
shiitake and wood ear XO chilli topped pork and shrimp shu mai dumplings with a mushroom dusted crispy onion
Course 4 – Lamb Rack and Sausage
Chanterelle herb duxelle, morel rhubarb demiglace, fingerling potato, smoked parsnip puree with lovage oil
Course 5 – Sticky Toffee Cake
With a cordyceps-infused toffee sauce and candied peanuts
President’s Dinner Presentation You know the name. But do you REALLY know the mushroom?
Overview: Fungi are intriguing and truly amaze us. And, as a result of convergent evolution, many may puzzle or confuse, as well as fascinate us upon learning their evolutionary histories. This lecture will discuss the evolution of life on our planet…and in particular the evolution of fungi. (They do things no other organisms do.) Completely unfamiliar with how evolution has shaped life on earth? This lecture is for you. Think you already know everything there is to know on the topic? It’s likely you will find out a few surprises.
Britt A. Bunyard, PhDBritt A. Bunyard, PhD, is the founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of the mycology journal Fungi, in print since 2008. Britt is a former university professor and has published over 100 academic and popular science papers. He has served as an editor for mycological and entomological research journals, and mushroom guide books.
A popular evangelizer on all things fungal, Britt has given more than 250 invited lectures to academic and popular audiences across North America and beyond. He has been featured on the BBC World Service’s Newshour, NPR’s All Things Considered, PBS’s NOVA and Wisconsin Foodie television programs; and interviewed or quoted in Discover magazine, The Atlantic, National Geographic, Vox, Vogue, Forbes, Saveur, Eating Well, Hobby Farm, Women’s World, and other magazines and newspapers.
Britt has collected fungi and lectured throughout North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Annually, he leads mycological expeditions throughout the world. One such expedition, was the subject of an award-winning documentary film “Look Down Not Up” (2022), produced by documentary filmmakers Alok Siddhi Tuladhar and Dusty Shiva Panthi of Kathmandu, Nepal.
Britt has authored several books, including The Lives of Fungi (2022; Princeton University Press) which is sold all over the world and translated into Italian, German, Spanish, and Chinese languages. Additional titles include Fungi of the World: A Guide to All Phyla (2026; Princeton University Press), Atlas of Fungi (2026; Princeton University Press), Fungi Decoded (2025; Penguin Random House), The Little Book of Fungi (2024; Princeton University Press), The Beginner’s Guide to Mushrooms (2021; Quarry Books), Amanitas of North America (2020; The Fungi Press), and
Mushrooms and Macrofungi of Ohio and Midwestern States (2012; The Ohio State University Press).
Coming in 2027: Fungi: A Practical Field Guide (Quarry Books).
Britt has served as Executive Director of the Telluride Mushroom Festival since 2014 and was awarded the “Dr. Emanuele Salzman Award” for service to the Telluride Mushroom Festival in 2024. In 2021 he was awarded the Gary Lincoff Award “For Contributions to Amateur Mycology,” by the North American Mycological Association—NAMA’s most prestigious honor for American mycologists.Purchase non-AMS member ticket’s for the President’s dinner below!
Click here for AMS Member Pricing for President’s DinnerYou must be logged in to your AMS account in order to purchase the AMS member pricing for the President’s dinner.

Edmonton Region Spring Foray
2026-03-22 11:00 - 13:00
Leader(s): TBD
Date: March 22, 2026
Time: 11:00AM-1:00PM
Location: NW of Devon
Dogs: Dogs are welcome, but they must remain on leash at all times.
Other details: Members-only event. Details regarding the location will be emailed to members up to 1 week prior.
Please read and familiarize yourself with the AMS Foray guidelines.
Please be advised that all events listed on our website are subject to change or cancellation due to various factors, including but not limited to:

Unfavourable Moisture/Fruiting Conditions
Mushroom growth is heavily dependent on environmental conditions such as moisture levels and temperature. If conditions are not conducive to mushroom fruiting, events may be cancelled.

Unforeseen Circumstances
Despite our best efforts to plan and organize events, unforeseen circumstances may arise that necessitate cancellation or postponement.

Lack of Volunteers
Our events rely on volunteers to lead forays, and if there is a shortage of volunteers, we may need to cancel or reschedule events. Become a Foray Host!

Final event details, including any changes or cancellations, will be communicated via email to all members approximately one week prior to the scheduled event. We highly recommend checking your email regularly for updates.

2026 Summer Solstice Feast Weekend
2026-06-19 16:00 - 2026-06-21 14:00 | Bergen Community Hall Camping, 31547 Range Road 53C, Mountain View County, Alberta, T0M 1X0, Canada
2026 Summer Solstice Feast WeekendFriday June 19th from 4pm to Sunday June 21st @ 2pm. at the Bergen Community Hall Camping is plentiful, including 6 x 15 amp plugin sites.

More details to follow.

NOTE: Calgary to Bergen – 109 Km @ 1 hr. 24 mins
Edmonton to Bergen – 263 Km @ 2 hr. 50 mins

Wild Mushroom EXPO 2026
2026-08-16 10:00 - 17:00
Coming to you in 2026!
The Alberta Mycological Society welcomes members and the world to Wild Mushroom Expo! Experience hundreds of freshly foraged, WILD Alberta mushrooms, all together on one day, in one space, along with fellow mycophiles. Which are edible? Poisonous? Medicinal? Hear from mushroom experts!
Enjoy tastings from the Wild Mushroom Café, browse mushroom books for adults and kids, mushroom merch, historical & art displays; bring mushrooms from your special spaces to be identified. Visit fine vendors and non-profit groups at the Expo. Become a member and begin your mushroom experiences!
Sunday, August 16, 10:00 – 5:00 pm. One day only – hundreds of WILD mushrooms in one space. $10 Adults / under age 10 are free.
Speakers, vendors and special guests TBA closer to the event. Keep checking this page! To check out last year’s Expo, go here: https://photos.albertamushrooms.ca/Events/Expo-2025
We welcome donations to help us achieve our many important projects, such as the Great Alberta Mushroom Foray, Fungarium, Fungal DNA Sequencing activities, and Fox Creek Fire Prevention project.

Great Alberta Mushroom Foray 2026
2026-09-04 18:00 - 2026-09-07 12:00
The Alberta Mycological Society is excited to host its 2026 Great Alberta Mushroom Foray (GAMF) in the Town of Sundre, Alberta, from September 4 to September 7. This flagship event brings together fungi enthusiasts for a long weekend of exploration, education, and citizen science amid the diverse ecosystems of central Alberta’s foothills and forests.

After successful forays in northern locations like Cold Lake and Fox Creek, the GAMF moves south in 2026 to Sundre, nestled in Mountain View County. Participants will explore the rich macrofungi of the surrounding landscapes, extending west toward the stunning Ya Ha Tinda Ranch—Canada’s only federally operated horse ranch—on the edge of Banff National Park. This transition zone between prairie, foothill, and montane environments offers a unique variety of habitats for foraging, identifying, and learning about Alberta’s fungal biodiversity.

Attendees will join guided forays, workshops, and presentations, deepening their understanding of fungi’s vital roles in ecosystems while contributing to the AMS’s mission of studying and promoting fungal diversity. The event fosters community among mycophiles and supports ongoing efforts to document and appreciate Alberta’s remarkable mycoflora in this scenic and ecologically varied region.
Click here to renew your membership!This is a Members-Only Event
Speakers/Mycologists
(Additional featured speakers and presentations will be updated as they are finalized)
Roland Treu
Roland Treu is an Associate Professor of Biology at Athabasca University. He is a mycologist and has contributed significantly to the study of mycorrhizae and ectomycorrhizal fungi. His research has been focused on the functional responses of ectomycorrhizal fungal communities to long-term fertilization of lodgepole pine stands, decline of ectomycorrhizal fungi following a mountain pine beetle epidemic, and mycoremediation of hydrocarbons with basidiomycetes.

Paul Kroeger
Paul is a long-time friend of the AMS and has identified 1000s of mushrooms. He is the premier field taxonomist in Western Canada. He has worked at the UBC herbarium for decades, cataloguing and preserving mushrooms. He works with BC Poison Control as their main identifier, and mushrooms are named in his honour.

Michael Schulz
Mike is a long time member and contributor to the AMS. He is an ecologist who is currently the Research Chair at Portage College. He has done extensive work on Fungal Species at Risk across the Prairie provinces. We usually see him hunkered over his microscope at Great Alberta Mushroom Forays.

Martin Osis
Martin is one of the AMS’s founding members. He is regularly called upon to give mushroom-related lectures and has held multiple positions on the AMS board. He was also the Canadian Trustee and Vice President of the North American Mycological Association.

Where To Stay?
Accommodations are not included in your ticket price. Visit the Town of Sundre website for more information on local hotels and campgrounds.

Volunteer Options

At GAMF, every attendee is required to volunteer — it’s how we keep the event affordable, community-driven, and truly special for everyone!
By volunteering (even just a few hours), you’re not only helping make GAMF run smoothly — you’re also part of the core spirit that makes this event so unique. No exceptions: everyone who attends contributes.
Choose your volunteer role(s) today (super easy steps):

Use Google Form below
No Google sign-in needed — just enter your email, name, and the duties you’re interested in.
Click SUBMIT

After submitting, scroll down this page to the Ticket Purchase section to secure your GAMF ticket. If you are registering multiple people, you can refresh this page again to submit the form for them.

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