The Mycological Association of Washington, Inc. upcoming events

MAWDC Monthly Meeting - April VIRTUAL (07 Apr 2026)

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 23:00:00 GMT

HAPPY EARTH MONTH! We celebrate April as Earth and Community Science month starting with our VIRTUAL MONTHLY MEETING! Mark your calendars and get ready to enjoy this Earth and Community Science edition of our monthly meeting via Zoom!

We'll feature:

Club welcome and Save the Dates by President Tom McCoy
Fungi in the News by Membership Chair, Tom Moore
ID table using the observations on our iNaturalist project, by Founder of George Mason University's Mycology Club, Jennifer Fieffer
From the ID Table to the Kitchen table by Culinary Chair, Cindy Connelly Ryan
How to make identifiable observations using iNaturalist (and their research vouchers) by Programs Chair, Serenella Linares
Featured presentation: Citizen Science, Natural History Clubs, and where Neolecta grows by David Hewitt, Microbiologist; Ecologist
Description:
Local natural history clubs serve a critical role as citizen science organizations making multifaceted contributions to science. This talk will provide examples of how natural history clubs and other citizen science endeavors have been integral to our understanding of the distribution and ecology of the fungal genus Neolecta.
Bio: David Hewitt has spent decades studying and working with fungi, plants, animals, soils and water, starting when he began working on small farms in upstate New York and parks and gardens in New York City. He has served in a variety of roles in different institutions, including the Philadelphia Botanical Club and the Wagner Free Institute of Science (in Philadelphia). His research and outreach work has included mycology & botany; urban parkland ecology & management; and the history of mycology & botany.
.

Zoom Link:

https://zoom.us/j/96693690911?pwd=YWdyeXh1bHF1N1UyNjNieFovNWFUZz09

Meeting ID 966 9369 0911

Passcode 330827

One Tap Mobile +13017158592,,96693690911#,,,,*330827# US (Washington DC)

Find your local Zoom access number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kQ9hr47WO

iNaturalist & the City Nature Challenge - VIRTUAL (14 Apr 2026)

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 23:00:00 GMT

HAPPY EARTH MONTH! Continue celebrating April as Earth and Community Science month starting with this VIRTUAL iNaturalist Training! Mark your calendars and get ready to participate in the City Nature Challenge!

Ever wondered: "What is that plant? What is crawling on that rock? What is that mushroom? or What a pretty little bird, is it a...?" Deborah Barber, Director of Land Conservation for The Nature Conservancy, Ana Leilani Ka’ahanui, Co-founder of Capital Nature, and MAWDC Programs Chair, Serenella Linares will get you ready to celebrate the month by teaching you how to use iNaturalist to make observations, what characteristics to look for, and how that data is used by thousands of naturalists and scientists around the globe!

REGISTER by clicking HERE to receive the zoom link

Hope to see you soon!

Serenella Linares, Programs Chair
The Mycological Association of Washington DC

MD City Nature Challenge iNaturalist walk at Charles Branch Natural Area (25 Apr 2026)

Sat, 25 Apr 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Welcome the beauty of spring by exploring one of Prince George's Parks and Recreation's newest properties. Join Foray Chair Mitch Fournet, Jennifer Fieffer, and Serenella Linares at the Charles Branch Hiking Area to witness the season’s "explosion" and meet the unique fungi taking advantage of it all.

This hike is part of the City Nature Challenge (CNC), an international event that inspires people to find and document wildlife in their own cities. Understanding which species live in our neighborhoods helps us better study and protect them. However, we can only achieve this if scientists, land managers, and YOU work together. By participating, you aren’t just learning about local nature, you’re helping make your city a better place for every species!

What to bring:

A fully charged phone (for documenting your finds!)
iNaturalist app* installed and ready to make observations
A reusable water bottle
Sturdy, closed-toe shoes
Weather-appropriate clothing

*To learn about iNaturalist and how to use it, please register for our

iNaturalist training session on April 14

Address:Charles Branch Hiking Area, 9306 Croom Rd, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772

REGISTRATION REQUIRED! Spaces limited!

Organized as a collaboration of:
Prince George's Department of Parks and Recreation, & The Mycological Association of Washington DC

If you are trying to register, and it's full, please join the waitlist. We monitor it frequently to make spaces available as they come.

For questions contact Serenella Linares at programs@mawdc.org

VA City Nature Challenge iNaturalist walk at Fountainhead Regional Park (25 Apr 2026)

Sat, 25 Apr 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Welcome the beauty of spring by exploring the Fountainhead Regioal Park with MAWDC Foray Leader, Marisol Perez, and Roving Naturalist, Matt Felperin. Witness the season’s "explosion" and meet the unique fungi taking advantage of it all.

What to bring:

A fully charged phone (for documenting your finds!)
iNaturalist app* installed and ready to make observations
A reusable water bottle
Sturdy, closed-toe shoes
Weather-appropriate clothing

*To learn about iNaturalist and how to use it, please register for our
iNaturalist training session on April 14

Address: Fountainhead Regional Park; ***Meet at trailhead parking lot***, 10875 Hampton Rd, Fairfax Station, VA 22039

REGISTRATION REQUIRED! Spaces limited!

Organized as a collaboration of:
NOVA Parks & The Mycological Association of Washington DC

If you are trying to register, and it's full, please join the waitlist. We monitor it frequently to make spaces available as they come.

For questions contact mfelperin@nvrpa.org, 703.268.6064 or Serenella Linares at programs@mawdc.org

DNA Lab Day @ Mount Rainier Nature Center (26 Apr 2026)

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Join us at Mount Rainier Nature Center at 10am to bring your mushroom samples or at 1pm to ask questions about our process or anything fungi. Our experts are excited to see you! Mark your calendars!

Mount Rainier Nature Center is located at 4701 31st Place, Mount Rainier MD, 20712

If you are bringing samples to us, please ensure that the samples have been properly documented on iNaturalist, and that each of your samples has a unique iNaturalist observation number by the time of your arrival. Follow the process below to make your observation:

MAKING AN OBSERVATION

PHOTOGRAPH BEFORE DETACHING!

Take more than one picture
Show where the fungus is growing from (substrate)
- If attached to something living, identify as much as possible. Ex: conifer, deciduous, oak, american holly, etc.
Photograph the habit (growing alone, gregarious, in clusters, etc.)
Take a picture from the top

DETACH

Take a picture of the underside
Cut through the spore producing surface and notice if there are changes in color or secretion of latex. If so annotate and photograph
Add any smell or bruising you observe in the notes section

PREPARING SAMPLE FOR DNA EXTRACTION

Place the mushroom on a coffee filter, piece of paper, or wax bag
Write the voucher information: date of collection, location, name of collector, field ID (Russula, Bolete, Agaricus, etc) and iNaturalist observation number.
Place your sample inside its voucher bag in a dehydrator at 100° until it is dry as cardboard. The timing of his process will vary depending on the size of the mushroom.
- If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can place the mushroom in your oven using its lowest setting and leaving the door of the oven cracked with a clothespin. Check on this setting every hour to prevent burning or cooking the specimen.
Once the specimen has been dried, wait for it to cool to room temperature and place the voucher bag and the mushroom inside in a closed ziplock bag to prevent rehydration with humid air.

Once you have a dried specimen inside a bag labeled with your name, location, date of collection, iNaturalist observation number, and approximate ID, you are ready to bring the sample to us

In the link below you’ll find the slideshow used for the training on how to make observations and how to label your sample bag to serve as a voucher as well.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/18N69qmR7zaUbveKunJVO6vcwY1hSQoYobPJFaUd2HDk/edit?usp=drivesdk

We will receive your properly documented sample with our deepest gratitude

We are excited to see you there!

-Serenella Linares, Programs Chair & Megan Romberg, Science Advisor
The Mycological Association of Washington, Inc.

Walk for the Woods 2026 — Bacon Ridge Natural Area (02 May 2026)

Sat, 02 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Hold the date! In partnership with the Scenic Rivers Land Trust's "Walk for the Woods 2026," join us for a mushroom ID walk in the Bacon Ridge Natural Area in Crownsville, Anne Arundel County, Maryland, on Saturday, May 2, at 8 a.m. Registration for this event will open on April 10 through the Scenic Rivers Land Trust (we'll share a link to registration), and the specific location of the walk will be provided.

What to bring:

A fully charged phone (for documenting your finds!)
A reusable water bottle
Sturdy, closed-toe shoes
Weather-appropriate clothing
And we recommend using the iNaturalist app and using your choice of insect repellant.

You're welcome to stay past our mushroom ID walk time to enjoy many other activities at the Walk for the Woods.

MAWDC May Meeting — Predators, Parasites, and Corpse Finders: The Secret Lives of Fungi, IN-PERSON (03 May 2026)

Sun, 03 May 2026 19:00:00 GMT

Let's get together IN PERSON! Mark your calendars and REGISTER for a chance to meet and learn from author Britt Bunyard!

The meeting will be held at Mount Rainier Nature Center.

Our President, Tom McCoy, will start us up with meeting business
Rebecca Henderson, Director of the new Rachel Carson Museum, will give us an update about the Springsong Museum.
In-person ID table! Bring your mushrooms (or lichens) and learn their identity from our team of identifiers!
Culinary Chair, Cindy Connelly Ryan, and the committee will delight us with a hospitality table.
Enjoy a riveting lecture by Britt Bunyard.

Title: Predators, Parasites, and Corpse Finders: The Secret Lives of Fungi

Fungi are far more diverse and surprising than the familiar mushrooms we see in forests. While most fungi avoid nitrogen‑rich environments, a few thrive there: coprophilous or dung fungi are frequently found growing directly on animal waste, and launching their spores with remarkable force. Some take this a step further, having evolved to parasitize animals and even other fungi; some are predators of animals. Imagine a mushroom trapping a worm—it’s a hidden world of strategies that challenges our everyday view of mushrooms. These include a number of "zombie fungi," popular in the news of late, as well as the unusual (and less talked about) “corpse finders” and “ghoul fungi” that specialize in breaking down or attacking other organisms. Together, these examples reveal fungi as ingenious survivors, capable of exploiting niches from decaying bodies to nutrient‑rich dung, and even hunting microscopic animals—a hidden world of strategies that challenges our everyday view of mushrooms. This presentation is for general audiences with no advanced knowledge of mycology and will feature real life stories and images from Britt’s recent books.

Britt's new books: "Lives of the Fungi" and "Little Book of Fungi" will be available for purchase and autograph on-site.

Bio: Britt 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 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.

See you all there!

DNA Lab Day @ Mount Rainier Nature Center (24 May 2026)

Sun, 24 May 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Mount Rainier Nature Center is located at 4701 31st Place, Mount Rainier MD, 20712

MAKING AN OBSERVATION

PHOTOGRAPH BEFORE DETACHING!

Take more than one picture
Show where the fungus is growing from (substrate)
- If attached to something living, identify as much as possible. Ex: conifer, deciduous, oak, american holly, etc.
Photograph the habit (growing alone, gregarious, in clusters, etc.)
Take a picture from the top

DETACH

Take a picture of the underside
Cut through the spore producing surface and notice if there are changes in color or secretion of latex. If so annotate and photograph
Add any smell or bruising you observe in the notes section

PREPARING SAMPLE FOR DNA EXTRACTION

Place the mushroom on a coffee filter, piece of paper, or wax bag
Write the voucher information: date of collection, location, name of collector, field ID (Russula, Bolete, Agaricus, etc) and iNaturalist observation number.
Place your sample inside its voucher bag in a dehydrator at 100° until it is dry as cardboard. The timing of his process will vary depending on the size of the mushroom.
- If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can place the mushroom in your oven using its lowest setting and leaving the door of the oven cracked with a clothespin. Check on this setting every hour to prevent burning or cooking the specimen.
Once the specimen has been dried, wait for it to cool to room temperature and place the voucher bag and the mushroom inside in a closed ziplock bag to prevent rehydration with humid air.

Once you have a dried specimen inside a bag labeled with your name, location, date of collection, iNaturalist observation number, and approximate ID, you are ready to bring the sample to us

In the link below you’ll find the slideshow used for the training on how to make observations and how to label your sample bag to serve as a voucher as well.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/18N69qmR7zaUbveKunJVO6vcwY1hSQoYobPJFaUd2HDk/edit?usp=drivesdk

We will receive your properly documented sample with our deepest gratitude

We are excited to see you there!

-Serenella Linares, Programs Chair & Megan Romberg, Science Advisor
The Mycological Association of Washington, Inc.

Summertime Board Meeting (27 May 2026)

Wed, 27 May 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Zoom Link:

https://zoom.us/j/96693690911?pwd=YWdyeXh1bHF1N1UyNjNieFovNWFUZz09

Meeting ID 966 9369 0911

Passcode 330827

Shorter DNA Lab Day @ Mount Rainier Nature Center (28 Jun 2026)

Sun, 28 Jun 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Join us at Mount Rainier Nature Center at 10am to bring your mushroom samples or to ask questions about our process or anything fungi. Our experts are excited to see you! Mark your calendars! THIS IS A SPECIAL SHORTER VERSION TO ALLOW ATTENDANCE TO THE PICNIC!

Mount Rainier Nature Center is located at 4701 31st Place, Mount Rainier MD, 20712

MAKING AN OBSERVATION

PHOTOGRAPH BEFORE DETACHING!

Take more than one picture
Show where the fungus is growing from (substrate)
- If attached to something living, identify as much as possible. Ex: conifer, deciduous, oak, american holly, etc.
Photograph the habit (growing alone, gregarious, in clusters, etc.)
Take a picture from the top

DETACH

Take a picture of the underside
Cut through the spore producing surface and notice if there are changes in color or secretion of latex. If so annotate and photograph
Add any smell or bruising you observe in the notes section

PREPARING SAMPLE FOR DNA EXTRACTION

Place the mushroom on a coffee filter, piece of paper, or wax bag
Write the voucher information: date of collection, location, name of collector, field ID (Russula, Bolete, Agaricus, etc) and iNaturalist observation number.
Place your sample inside its voucher bag in a dehydrator at 100° until it is dry as cardboard. The timing of his process will vary depending on the size of the mushroom.
- If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can place the mushroom in your oven using its lowest setting and leaving the door of the oven cracked with a clothespin. Check on this setting every hour to prevent burning or cooking the specimen.
Once the specimen has been dried, wait for it to cool to room temperature and place the voucher bag and the mushroom inside in a closed ziplock bag to prevent rehydration with humid air.

Once you have a dried specimen inside a bag labeled with your name, location, date of collection, iNaturalist observation number, and approximate ID, you are ready to bring the sample to us

In the link below you’ll find the slideshow used for the training on how to make observations and how to label your sample bag to serve as a voucher as well.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/18N69qmR7zaUbveKunJVO6vcwY1hSQoYobPJFaUd2HDk/edit?usp=drivesdk

We will receive your properly documented sample with our deepest gratitude

We are excited to see you there!

-Serenella Linares, Programs Chair & Megan Romberg, Science Advisor
The Mycological Association of Washington, Inc.

MAWDC Annual Picnic - SAVE THE DATE (28 Jun 2026)

Sun, 28 Jun 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Let's get together IN PERSON! Mark your calendars and REGISTER for the Annual Picninc at Carderock Recreation Area!

The picnic will be held at: Carderock Recreation Area, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath, Potomac, MD 20854 (on Google maps)

Start the morning with a guided walk
Picnic, potluck style starting at 12noon
Family friendly game

Bring your family, dog, toys, insect repellant, and a dish to share.

Running water, bathrooms, and electricity available on-site

Free parking adjacent to the pavilion.

MAWDC will provide cold drinks and mushrooms to put on the grill.

Registration opens on Jun 1

DNA Lab Day @ Mount Rainier Nature Center (26 Jul 2026)

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Mount Rainier Nature Center is located at 4701 31st Place, Mount Rainier MD, 20712

MAKING AN OBSERVATION

PHOTOGRAPH BEFORE DETACHING!

Take more than one picture
Show where the fungus is growing from (substrate)
- If attached to something living, identify as much as possible. Ex: conifer, deciduous, oak, american holly, etc.
Photograph the habit (growing alone, gregarious, in clusters, etc.)
Take a picture from the top

DETACH

Take a picture of the underside
Cut through the spore producing surface and notice if there are changes in color or secretion of latex. If so annotate and photograph
Add any smell or bruising you observe in the notes section

PREPARING SAMPLE FOR DNA EXTRACTION

Place the mushroom on a coffee filter, piece of paper, or wax bag
Write the voucher information: date of collection, location, name of collector, field ID (Russula, Bolete, Agaricus, etc) and iNaturalist observation number.
Place your sample inside its voucher bag in a dehydrator at 100° until it is dry as cardboard. The timing of his process will vary depending on the size of the mushroom.
- If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can place the mushroom in your oven using its lowest setting and leaving the door of the oven cracked with a clothespin. Check on this setting every hour to prevent burning or cooking the specimen.
Once the specimen has been dried, wait for it to cool to room temperature and place the voucher bag and the mushroom inside in a closed ziplock bag to prevent rehydration with humid air.

Once you have a dried specimen inside a bag labeled with your name, location, date of collection, iNaturalist observation number, and approximate ID, you are ready to bring the sample to us

In the link below you’ll find the slideshow used for the training on how to make observations and how to label your sample bag to serve as a voucher as well.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/18N69qmR7zaUbveKunJVO6vcwY1hSQoYobPJFaUd2HDk/edit?usp=drivesdk

We will receive your properly documented sample with our deepest gratitude

We are excited to see you there!

-Serenella Linares, Programs Chair & Megan Romberg, Science Advisor
The Mycological Association of Washington, Inc.

Fall Board Meeting (28 Jul 2026)

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Zoom Link:

https://zoom.us/j/96693690911?pwd=YWdyeXh1bHF1N1UyNjNieFovNWFUZz09

Meeting ID 966 9369 0911

Passcode 330827

DNA Lab Day @ Mount Rainier Nature Center (23 Aug 2026)

Sun, 23 Aug 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Mount Rainier Nature Center is located at 4701 31st Place, Mount Rainier MD, 20712

MAKING AN OBSERVATION

PHOTOGRAPH BEFORE DETACHING!

Take more than one picture
Show where the fungus is growing from (substrate)
- If attached to something living, identify as much as possible. Ex: conifer, deciduous, oak, american holly, etc.
Photograph the habit (growing alone, gregarious, in clusters, etc.)
Take a picture from the top

DETACH

Take a picture of the underside
Cut through the spore producing surface and notice if there are changes in color or secretion of latex. If so annotate and photograph
Add any smell or bruising you observe in the notes section

PREPARING SAMPLE FOR DNA EXTRACTION

Place the mushroom on a coffee filter, piece of paper, or wax bag
Write the voucher information: date of collection, location, name of collector, field ID (Russula, Bolete, Agaricus, etc) and iNaturalist observation number.
Place your sample inside its voucher bag in a dehydrator at 100° until it is dry as cardboard. The timing of his process will vary depending on the size of the mushroom.
- If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can place the mushroom in your oven using its lowest setting and leaving the door of the oven cracked with a clothespin. Check on this setting every hour to prevent burning or cooking the specimen.
Once the specimen has been dried, wait for it to cool to room temperature and place the voucher bag and the mushroom inside in a closed ziplock bag to prevent rehydration with humid air.

Once you have a dried specimen inside a bag labeled with your name, location, date of collection, iNaturalist observation number, and approximate ID, you are ready to bring the sample to us

In the link below you’ll find the slideshow used for the training on how to make observations and how to label your sample bag to serve as a voucher as well.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/18N69qmR7zaUbveKunJVO6vcwY1hSQoYobPJFaUd2HDk/edit?usp=drivesdk

We will receive your properly documented sample with our deepest gratitude

We are excited to see you there!

-Serenella Linares, Programs Chair & Megan Romberg, Science Advisor
The Mycological Association of Washington, Inc.

Camp Sequanota Mushroom Weekend (03 Sep 2026)

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 19:00:00 GMT

REGISTRATION WILL OPEN IN EARLY SUMMER 2026

To register, click the gray Register button that appears below the lodging options. (On your phone it should be just above this text and on desktop it should be to the left of this text at the very bottom.)

Join MAW for a mushroom-filled weekend in Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands. Our foray at Camp Sequanota has been an annual event for more than 40 years. It's a great opportunity to advance your mushroom knowledge and get to know other mushroom enthusiasts. Note, this year you can add-on a Thursday evening arrival.

Our guest mycologists are Shannon Nix and Todd Elliott.

Each day we will have mushroom hunting forays and on Saturday & Sunday we will have various workshops -- in the past we've had mushroom cooking, koji making, nature jewelry, beer making, mushroom ID for newbies, mushroom paper making, and fungal-insect investigation workshops. In the evenings, Saturday and Sunday dinner will be followed by guest mycologist presentations, a night walk on Saturday, and our third annual myco-costume/talent show on Sunday (bring along a costume, a song, a poem, a skit, etc!)

Your registration includes 8 meals (Friday evening to Monday breakfast), all forays, workshops, and evening programs. (If you add-on Thursday, Friday breakfast and lunch are included.) Onsite accommodations options are rustic motel-style rooms, rustic cabins, or tenting. There are also a few different hotels within 20-25 minutes of the campus. Registration closes August 16, 2026.

Also, please consider volunteering an hour of your time for cleaning foraged mushrooms, cleanup at the end of the event, and various other tasks.

Guests are not permitted to bring dogs to Sequanota.

DNA Lab Day @ Mount Rainier Nature Center (27 Sep 2026)

Sun, 27 Sep 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Mount Rainier Nature Center is located at 4701 31st Place, Mount Rainier MD, 20712

MAKING AN OBSERVATION

PHOTOGRAPH BEFORE DETACHING!

Take more than one picture
Show where the fungus is growing from (substrate)
- If attached to something living, identify as much as possible. Ex: conifer, deciduous, oak, american holly, etc.
Photograph the habit (growing alone, gregarious, in clusters, etc.)
Take a picture from the top

DETACH

Take a picture of the underside
Cut through the spore producing surface and notice if there are changes in color or secretion of latex. If so annotate and photograph
Add any smell or bruising you observe in the notes section

PREPARING SAMPLE FOR DNA EXTRACTION

Place the mushroom on a coffee filter, piece of paper, or wax bag
Write the voucher information: date of collection, location, name of collector, field ID (Russula, Bolete, Agaricus, etc) and iNaturalist observation number.
Place your sample inside its voucher bag in a dehydrator at 100° until it is dry as cardboard. The timing of his process will vary depending on the size of the mushroom.
- If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can place the mushroom in your oven using its lowest setting and leaving the door of the oven cracked with a clothespin. Check on this setting every hour to prevent burning or cooking the specimen.
Once the specimen has been dried, wait for it to cool to room temperature and place the voucher bag and the mushroom inside in a closed ziplock bag to prevent rehydration with humid air.

Once you have a dried specimen inside a bag labeled with your name, location, date of collection, iNaturalist observation number, and approximate ID, you are ready to bring the sample to us

In the link below you’ll find the slideshow used for the training on how to make observations and how to label your sample bag to serve as a voucher as well.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/18N69qmR7zaUbveKunJVO6vcwY1hSQoYobPJFaUd2HDk/edit?usp=drivesdk

We will receive your properly documented sample with our deepest gratitude

We are excited to see you there!

-Serenella Linares, Programs Chair & Megan Romberg, Science Advisor
The Mycological Association of Washington, Inc.

MAW 2026 Mushroom Fair (11 Oct 2026)

Sun, 11 Oct 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Join the Mycological Association of Washington for our annual mushroom fair at Brookside Gardens Sunday October 11, from 12 pm to 5 pm. Open to the general public, the 2025 MAW Mushroom Fair will mushroom ID walks on the grounds of Brookside and Wheaton Regional Park, a display of numerous local mushrooms, mushroom-themed demonstrations, spore microscopy, mycelial sculpting, mushroom cultivation and more. This family-friendly event will also feature kids' activities, including a trio of mushroom-themed books read by the author (MAW’s own AD Gray). Bring cash to purchase mushroom art, photography, tinctures, grow kits, and more from onsite vendors.

Mushroom walks will depart every half hour to explore the grounds of Brookside Gardens and Wheaton Regional Park. No registration is required; this event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact vp@mawdc.org. Carpool link for MAW members is here.

DNA Lab Day @ Mount Rainier Nature Center (25 Oct 2026)

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Mount Rainier Nature Center is located at 4701 31st Place, Mount Rainier MD, 20712

MAKING AN OBSERVATION

PHOTOGRAPH BEFORE DETACHING!

Take more than one picture
Show where the fungus is growing from (substrate)
- If attached to something living, identify as much as possible. Ex: conifer, deciduous, oak, american holly, etc.
Photograph the habit (growing alone, gregarious, in clusters, etc.)
Take a picture from the top

DETACH

Take a picture of the underside
Cut through the spore producing surface and notice if there are changes in color or secretion of latex. If so annotate and photograph
Add any smell or bruising you observe in the notes section

PREPARING SAMPLE FOR DNA EXTRACTION

Place the mushroom on a coffee filter, piece of paper, or wax bag
Write the voucher information: date of collection, location, name of collector, field ID (Russula, Bolete, Agaricus, etc) and iNaturalist observation number.
Place your sample inside its voucher bag in a dehydrator at 100° until it is dry as cardboard. The timing of his process will vary depending on the size of the mushroom.
- If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can place the mushroom in your oven using its lowest setting and leaving the door of the oven cracked with a clothespin. Check on this setting every hour to prevent burning or cooking the specimen.
Once the specimen has been dried, wait for it to cool to room temperature and place the voucher bag and the mushroom inside in a closed ziplock bag to prevent rehydration with humid air.

Once you have a dried specimen inside a bag labeled with your name, location, date of collection, iNaturalist observation number, and approximate ID, you are ready to bring the sample to us

In the link below you’ll find the slideshow used for the training on how to make observations and how to label your sample bag to serve as a voucher as well.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/18N69qmR7zaUbveKunJVO6vcwY1hSQoYobPJFaUd2HDk/edit?usp=drivesdk

We will receive your properly documented sample with our deepest gratitude

We are excited to see you there!

-Serenella Linares, Programs Chair & Megan Romberg, Science Advisor
The Mycological Association of Washington, Inc.

DNA Lab Day @ Mount Rainier Nature Center (29 Nov 2026)

Sun, 29 Nov 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Mount Rainier Nature Center is located at 4701 31st Place, Mount Rainier MD, 20712

MAKING AN OBSERVATION

PHOTOGRAPH BEFORE DETACHING!

Take more than one picture
Show where the fungus is growing from (substrate)
- If attached to something living, identify as much as possible. Ex: conifer, deciduous, oak, american holly, etc.
Photograph the habit (growing alone, gregarious, in clusters, etc.)
Take a picture from the top

DETACH

Take a picture of the underside
Cut through the spore producing surface and notice if there are changes in color or secretion of latex. If so annotate and photograph
Add any smell or bruising you observe in the notes section

PREPARING SAMPLE FOR DNA EXTRACTION

Place the mushroom on a coffee filter, piece of paper, or wax bag
Write the voucher information: date of collection, location, name of collector, field ID (Russula, Bolete, Agaricus, etc) and iNaturalist observation number.
Place your sample inside its voucher bag in a dehydrator at 100° until it is dry as cardboard. The timing of his process will vary depending on the size of the mushroom.
- If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can place the mushroom in your oven using its lowest setting and leaving the door of the oven cracked with a clothespin. Check on this setting every hour to prevent burning or cooking the specimen.
Once the specimen has been dried, wait for it to cool to room temperature and place the voucher bag and the mushroom inside in a closed ziplock bag to prevent rehydration with humid air.

Once you have a dried specimen inside a bag labeled with your name, location, date of collection, iNaturalist observation number, and approximate ID, you are ready to bring the sample to us

In the link below you’ll find the slideshow used for the training on how to make observations and how to label your sample bag to serve as a voucher as well.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/18N69qmR7zaUbveKunJVO6vcwY1hSQoYobPJFaUd2HDk/edit?usp=drivesdk

We will receive your properly documented sample with our deepest gratitude

We are excited to see you there!

-Serenella Linares, Programs Chair & Megan Romberg, Science Advisor
The Mycological Association of Washington, Inc.

Winter Board Meeting (13 Dec 2026)

Sun, 13 Dec 2026 21:00:00 GMT

Zoom Link:

https://zoom.us/j/96693690911?pwd=YWdyeXh1bHF1N1UyNjNieFovNWFUZz09

Meeting ID 966 9369 0911

Passcode 330827

DNA Lab Day @ Mount Rainier Nature Center (20 Dec 2026)

Sun, 20 Dec 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Mount Rainier Nature Center is located at 4701 31st Place, Mount Rainier MD, 20712

MAKING AN OBSERVATION

PHOTOGRAPH BEFORE DETACHING!

Take more than one picture
Show where the fungus is growing from (substrate)
- If attached to something living, identify as much as possible. Ex: conifer, deciduous, oak, american holly, etc.
Photograph the habit (growing alone, gregarious, in clusters, etc.)
Take a picture from the top

DETACH

Take a picture of the underside
Cut through the spore producing surface and notice if there are changes in color or secretion of latex. If so annotate and photograph
Add any smell or bruising you observe in the notes section

PREPARING SAMPLE FOR DNA EXTRACTION

Place the mushroom on a coffee filter, piece of paper, or wax bag
Write the voucher information: date of collection, location, name of collector, field ID (Russula, Bolete, Agaricus, etc) and iNaturalist observation number.
Place your sample inside its voucher bag in a dehydrator at 100° until it is dry as cardboard. The timing of his process will vary depending on the size of the mushroom.
- If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can place the mushroom in your oven using its lowest setting and leaving the door of the oven cracked with a clothespin. Check on this setting every hour to prevent burning or cooking the specimen.
Once the specimen has been dried, wait for it to cool to room temperature and place the voucher bag and the mushroom inside in a closed ziplock bag to prevent rehydration with humid air.

Once you have a dried specimen inside a bag labeled with your name, location, date of collection, iNaturalist observation number, and approximate ID, you are ready to bring the sample to us

In the link below you’ll find the slideshow used for the training on how to make observations and how to label your sample bag to serve as a voucher as well.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/18N69qmR7zaUbveKunJVO6vcwY1hSQoYobPJFaUd2HDk/edit?usp=drivesdk

We will receive your properly documented sample with our deepest gratitude

We are excited to see you there!

-Serenella Linares, Programs Chair & Megan Romberg, Science Advisor
The Mycological Association of Washington, Inc.