Disclaimer: mushroom hunting is one of my favorite pastimes. Growing up in Poland, my family and I would regularly go out into the forest during fall and winter. Foraging was the best kind of scavenger hunt — once my parents set me loose, I’d go running around trees and peer under fallen branches searching for fungi. The thrill of finding a mushroom, or several in a row, was exhilarating. While spending time out in nature and with family was great, what made the whole experience even better was bringing the haul home, cooking and eating it.
Here in Marin, the mixed forests of this Novato preserve usually host an amazing array of mushrooms at this time of year. Come out this weekend to see how many of them you can identify, which should be particularly challenging considering all of the name changes that have occurred during the last few years. Along with a ranger, you’ll also discuss the important “behind the scenes” role that fungi play in the forest ecosystem. Remember to bring binoculars, if you have them.
If You Go:
When: Sunday, December 17 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Indian Tree Preserve
Vineyard Rd, trailhead at the end
Novato, CA
Cost: Free
View the event on our calendar.
