LANCASTER — Join expert field mycologist Noah Siegel as he discusses everything you ever wanted to know about wild mushrooms but were afraid to ask.
Siegel will cover identification practices, where to find edible mushrooms, and their ecological roles in the ecosystem at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, at the Thayer Memorial Library, 717 Main St.
Siegel has spent over three decades seeking, photographing, identifying, and furthering his knowledge about all aspects of macrofungi.
He has hunted mushrooms throughout the United States and Canada, as well as on multiple expeditions to New Zealand, Australia, and Cameroon. He is one of the premier mushroom photographers in the nation, having won numerous awards from the North American Mycological Association photography contest.
Siegel’s technique and attention to detail arise from a philosophy of maximizing utility for identification purposes while maintaining a high degree of aesthetic appeal.
His photographs have appeared on the covers and have been featured in articles in multiple issues of FUNGI Magazine, the primary mushroom enthusiast magazines in the United States, numerous mushroom books, as well as many club publications.
He authored, along with Christian Schwarz, “Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast,” a comprehensive guide for the northern California coast, and “A Field Guide to the Rare Fungi of California’s National Forests.” He is currently working on “Mushrooms of Cascadia,” a reference guide for Pacific Northwest fungi.
Siegel travels and lectures extensively across America, following the mushrooms from coast to coast and everywhere in between.
“I enjoy teaching about mushrooms because I want to educate people to an unseen world; one full of keystone species which makes forest thrive,” said Siegel. “Many people interested in wild mushrooms also get the added benefit of foraging for prized food.”
For more information, or to register for this event (which is required), call the library at 978-368-8928 or visit thayermemoriallibrary.org.