AMS Webinar: 13 New Fungi Species in Alberta
2026-02-25 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Edmonton)
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 Shane ChartrandTickets for AMS Non-MembersTickets for AMS Members

2026 President's Dinner by Chef Shane Chartrand
2026-03-21 18:00 - 22:00 | Devon Community Centre, 20 Haven Avenue, Devon, Alberta, T9G 2B9, Canada
Chef Shane ChartrandPresident’s Dinner – Celebrity ChefNot often does one have a Celebrity Chef preparing their meal…
With traditional Indigenous flair, blended with modern techniques (and of course lots of wild mushrooms) Chef Chartrand has created a wildly unique menu for this year’s President’s Dinner.
Who is Chef Shane Chartrand?
This Red Seal chef has appeared on nine TV shows and two documentaries, including Top Chef Canada, Iron Chef Canada, Chopped Canada, Fridge Wars and Wall of Chefs. He grew up in Central Alberta, where he learned hunting, fishing and gardening which formed the basis of his respect for food.
“Food is all he knows, and he wants to learn, see, know, cook and eat……more!”
Menu Cash Bar: Mushroom Infused Cocktails – Wine – Highballs
Course I: The Garden
Mini soil garden, heirloom carrots, celery, beech mushroom, trumpet mushroom and porcini powder dressing
Course II: The Forest Floor
Grilled truffled portabellas on bone marrow and rosemary jam
Course III: The Mushroom Expression
Three ways: Button mushroom pavé, Grilled lion’s mane soup, Shiitake toast
Main Course: The Hunt
Lamb rack, chanterelle duxelles – morel demiglace, carrot puree, roasted fingerlings, mushroom tartare
Dessert/Accompaniment
Bannock with maple white mushroom butter
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.
