Join us for a fall exploration of the magnificent mushrooms of Vesper Meadow with local mushroom enthusiast Vanessa Manzano, and SOLC Staff Member Tara Laidlaw!

We’ll take a leisurely walk through the forest, looking for mushrooms and learn how to identify the fungi friends that we encounter along the way. We’ll explore some of the different clues you can use for identification—from shape, color, size, and habitat to spore prints and other distinguishing features. Vanessa will share how to use a field guide to help us make sense of our finds.

This is an opportunity to slow down, look closely, and get curious about the fungal world around us. Along the way, we will talk about the important roles fungi play in healthy ecosystems, and the relationships they have with the plants, animals, soil, and other organisms around them.

We’ll also set aside time for nature journaling inspired by our mushy friends. Bring your journal or use materials provided and Tara will lead us into some time to sketch, write, observe, and reflect on the mushrooms, meadow musings, and forest friends around you. No artistic experience is needed—just your curiosity and a willingness to notice the interconnected life around us.

Whether you already know your chanterelles from your boletes or you're just beginning to notice the fungi beneath your feet, there will be something to discover for everyone!

Bring: water bottle, lunch or snacks, weather-appropriate clothing, sturdy shoes, and a journal and pencil, drawing supplies, if you have them. We’ll provide basic journaling materials and have some field guides on hand for people to reference.

Please note: This is an educational mushroom walk, not a mushroom harvesting or foraging event. We’ll leave our fungal friends where we find them.

All are welcome. No previous mushroom identification or nature journaling experience is necessary.

SPACE IS LIMITED — PLEASE RSVP IN ADVANCE.