money This Mystery Mushroom tour aims to enlighten, spread awareness on Pocono fungi
Need a little more fun...gi in your life? You're in luck, because there are fungus among us in the Poconos.
The Brodhead Watershed Association will host a Mystery Mushroom tour on Sunday.
Participants will forage for forest fungus under the guidance of mushroom expert Lee Schuler, who will offer tips on best locations, methods and identification practices.
According to the BWA, the “mystery” of the tour comes from the location: The event’s target area will remain a question until at least a day prior.
“What we will find is completely dependent upon temperature and precipitation up to the day,” Schuler said.
Possible event venues may include: Mountain View Park in Tannersville, Hickory Valley Park in Stroudsburg, Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Stroud Township, and ForEvergreen Nature Preserve in East Stroudsburg.
Pennsylvania is home to its fair share of native mushrooms. Well known wild varieties such as Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushrooms) and Laetiporus sulphureus (chicken of the woods) grow in the commonwealth's forests
Of the roughly 10,000 mushroom species in the world, about 30 have proven to be fatally poisonous to humans, according to the blog Planet Deadly.
Due to such risks, the Mystery Mushroom Tour planned for Sunday is being held for mushroom identification purposes only, not gathering edible mushrooms.
"Participants assume responsibility for this risk." The BWA wrote in a press release.
The BWA is a nonprofit environmental organization formed in 1989, dedicated to protecting and preserving the water resources and environment within the Brodhead Watershed.
If you go
Join Brodhead Watershed Association for a Mystery Mushroom Tour with Lee Schuler.
When: 10 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 7
Cost: $20 suggested donation, collected by cash or check made out to BWA at the event
Where: Depends on where mushrooms are available on Nov. 7. A place will be chosen close to the date, and directions will be provided to registrants.
To register: Registration is required and limited. To register, go to brodheadwatershed.org/events/mushroom. Deadline to register is 5 p.m. Nov. 6.
This article originally appeared on Pocono Record: Mystery Mushroom tour aims to educate on local Pocono fungi
