Award Objectives

• New Mushroomers

• Have fun learning new mushrooms

• Get members started identifying mushrooms

• Reward them as they make progress

• Experienced Member

• Have fun learning new mushrooms

• Get more club Identifiers & Mycologists

• Motivate Members to document mushrooms they know

STATUS of the AWARD PROGRAM

• Program is just starting. Some details are not completely worked out.

• Buttons have been made for a variety of levels.

• Club Members will develop & maintain their own lists of mushrooms.

• Club Mycologists & Identifiers will certify mushrooms on list

• Certification means club member & mycologist or identifier agree on the ID

PICKING MUSHROOMS TO EAT REQUIRES BEING 100% CERTAIN OF THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE MUSHROOMS INVOLVED. Those eating wild mushrooms must take personal responsibility for the mushrooms they eat.

Ideal Identification Procedure

• Club member finds a mushroom that they believe they know

• Mushroom can be found at club foray, club meeting, or on personal outing.

• Club member shows mushroom to club mycologist or identifier who agrees with the members ID.

• Mushroom is added to member’s list Establishing a Baseline

• Experienced members know too many mushrooms for ideal procedure

• There is a mutual trust that they can come up with a reasonable list of mushrooms they know

• They can submit this list to the club to establish a baseline of known mushrooms

• Club mycologists and/or identifiers will establish reasonableness of list

• Caution should be used about placing poisonous mushrooms on one’s list

Easy List Generation

• Go to WPMC Website

• Go to Species List Section

• Check off Mushrooms known (There are 824 mushrooms on this list)

• Print out the list and also e-mail list to Dick Dougall

Club Mycologist & Identifiers

• Club mycologist & identifiers are human and volunteer their services

• They do not know every mushroom and are still learning themselves

• They are free to pass on certifying specific mushrooms

• Mushroom identification can be complex