The fall mushroom season typically starts at the beginning of October and ends mid-November in B.C. During this time, the forests around Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) will be filled with a variety of mushrooms.
“On campuses, Amanita muscaria seems to be pretty common because they thrive in a more urban environment, such as near planted oak trees,” says Emily Betz, a biology lab instructor at KPU.
In November, KPU Wild Spaces and the Office of Sustainability hosted a fungi walk at KPU Surrey. During the walk, Betz explained to participants what fungi are and what they do for the environment.
“Fungi are decomposers, so the mushroom is just the reproductive structure of the fungus. The vast majority of the fungus is underground,” says Betz.
Betz explained fungi are able to break down plant and animal debris, cycling the nutrients into the soil.
While Amanita muscaria is the most recognized, Betz says people can find an array of different mushrooms in forests around KPU campuses.
“During our walk, we found lots of different mushrooms such as Russula. We found bird’s nest fungi, which was really cool. We also saw a few turkey tails and other polypore fungi,” says Betz.
To learn more about mushrooms, Betz says a great way to start is by finding a local mycological society. Another good option is purchasing a fungi field guide and going into the forest to see what can be found.
KPU offers a range of biology courses, including a Bachelor of Science, Major in Biology program. Central to the program is a lab intensive experience, where students learn first-hand the appropriate use of equipment and techniques to investigate living organisms and how they function.