Jana Harris of Essex Forays will take us on an exploration of the vital roles fungi play in garden ecosystems and how gardeners can incorporate them to help plants and trees thrive. This Grow Native Massachusetts webinar will take place March 19 at 7 pm Eastern. Members $28, nonmembers $38. To register, visit https://grownativemass.org/Our-Programs/calendar
Knowing a little mycology (the study of fungi) can make you a better mushroom cook. This New York Botanical Garden illustrated talk online on June 5 teaches basic mycology through the lens of your kitchen. It explores the intersection of mycology and the selection, storage, preparation, and nutritional value of mushrooms; the way fungi spoils foods and improves foods; the biologic reason why mushrooms taste differently and why some are more expensive than others; and the impact of endophytic fungi and mycorrhizal networks on food crops.
Instructor Eugenia Bone is a critically acclaimed journalist, with an emphasis on food, fungi, and other microorganisms, and former president of the New York Mycological Society. She is a member of the National Association of Science Writers. Her previous books include Microbia, Mycophilia, The Kitchen Ecosystem, Well Preserved, At Mesa’s Edge, and Italian Family Dining. Her books have been nominated for a variety of awards, including a Colorado Book Award and James Beard Award, and her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Denver Post, The Wall Street Journal, Saveur, Food & Wine, and Gourmet, among others. She has lectured widely, at venues like the Missouri Botanical Gardens, the Denver Botanical Garden, and the New York Public Library.
Nonmembers $70, Members $65. Register HERE.
Join Larry Millman, author-ethnographer-mycologist, for an informative, entertaining and engaging Fungi Foray in Beebe Woods. The Highfield Hall and Gardens program takes place May 29 from 4 – 6 at 56 Highfield Drive in Falmouth. Larry has studied fungi all over the world– especially in his own backyard of New England. As you wander through the woods on this mushroom walk, Larry will focus on fungal ecology rather than edibility. You’ll learn what fungi are doing in their respective habitats as well as their common names. Bring a hand lens or magnifier if you have one (some of the species will be very small) and a sense of curiosity. Larry has written 16 books including Fungipedia: A -Z. $10 for Highfield Hall members, $15 for nonmembers. Register at www.highfieldhallandgardens.org
Refine your drawing and watercolor techniques with Sarah Roche and Wellesley College Botanic Garden in a six session class beginning Tuesday, September 27. You will focus on achieving the accurate representation of botanical subjects, with the fall project being Fungi & Ferns. Fall in the woods is an exciting time as all the showy plants have faded away, and the fungi, ferns and grasses become the stars. Your composition will be the result of your foraging. Observation, note taking and detailed sketching will be key since your specimens won’t be in their prime for long. You will create a painting of your habitat with all the fall leaves, twigs, ferns and grasses that are associated with your fungi. In person sessions at Elm Bank will take place September 27, October 18, and November 1. Other sessions are online. WCBG members $295, nonmembers $345. Register by calling 781-283-3094 or emailing wcbgfriends@wellesley.edu The series will be offered again January 31 – March 7.
A massively diverse group of organisms, fungi support and sustain nearly all living systems. They throw our concepts of individuality and even intelligence into question. They can change our minds, heal our bodies, and help remediate environmental disasters.
In conversation with food and nature journalist Eugenia Bone, biologist and award-winning author Merlin Sheldrake will discuss how these extraordinary organisms-and our relationships with them-can change our understanding of the planet on which we live, and the ways that we think, feel, and behave. This online New York Botanical Garden special event will take place July 21 at 11 am, and is $23 for NYBG members, $26 for nonmembers. Register at www.nybg.org
Looking for New Ideas? Solutions? Inspiration? From the practical to the applicable, join the Ecological Landscape Alliance in March for the 26th Annual ELA Conference & Eco-Marketplace at the UMass Campus Center, Amherst, MA. Immerse yourself in a two-day exploration of ecological concepts as our speakers share their experiences and expertise.
Forests and natural systems are under enormous pressure from the effects of climate change, insect damage, invasive plants, and rapid urbanization. What can you do to protect these systems? Join us to learn more about how to restore lost ecological connections, better manage urban land, and create beautiful, highly functioning landscapes!
Wednesday features two educational workshop tracks. Track One – explore soils from “micro to macro” with a dive into the intricacies of soil…. hear about the latest research, and learn how to apply new practices for results in the landscape.
Track Two explores the detailed workings of meadow ecosystems and what it takes to make a successful meadow project and more.
Thursday offers a broad range of sessions. Delve into landscape design elements from native shrubs to playscapes and larger ecological landscapes, including rain gardens and modern agricultural models. Enjoy a presentation or join an idea exchange to engage with your peers on timely topics.
Registration fees range from $20 to $330. Register online and get complete details at https://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/ela-conference-eco-marketplace-2/
In this Native Plant Trust class at Garden in the Woods on December 14 from 1 – 4, mycologist Lawrence Millman discusses the seasonality of fungi: why some species fruit in the spring, why most mycorrhizal species fruit in the fall, and why — as well as how — some species are adapted to cold weather and fruit in the winter. After the presentation, we will go on a walk in the Garden in search of this last group of fungi. $45 for NPT members, $54 for nonmembers. Image from www.discovercentralmass.org. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/fungi-ecology-and-relationships/
On Saturday, September 14, Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts will host the New England Botanical Club for a day-long meeting with options including a field trip to the Montague Plains Wildlife Management Area with Pete Grima (10 – 2), a fungal walk with Dianna Smith at the Smith College MacLeish Field Station (12 – 3), and a lecture by Dr. Lynn S. Adler, Biology Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, on Floral Traits Mediating Pathogen Dynamics in Pollinators.
The Montague Plains cover several power line corridors on the Montague sand plain and adjacent Will’s Hill, where the focus will be on the amazing asters, gorgeous goldenrods. lingering legumes, and genteel fringed gentians that will be in their prime. There may be orchids, too. This is an easy walk of 1.5 miles with 200 foot elevation gain. Be prepared for ticks and open, sunny conditions.
The Fungi Walk will introduce you to the fascinating world of the fungi kingdom during our three-hour guided walk starting at noon at the Smith College MacLeish Field Station on Poplar Hill Rd in Whately, MA. In addition to helping attendees learn to identify particular morphological groups of fungi, Dianna will provide essential information about their lifestyles and functions in forest and garden ecology; their evolutionary history; habitat preferences; edibility; toxicity; and potential medicinal uses. By the time you complete this walk, you will know more about these curious representatives of the mostly hidden kingdom of fungi than 99.9% of the world’s population.
Register at http://www.rhodora.org/meetings/upcomingmeetings.html
The New England Botanical Club welcomes volunteers to help with curatorial work in the nonvascular herbarium of the NEBC. Listed below are the scheduled work sessions. If you would like to join us or have questions, please email Elizabeth Kneiper (Ekneiper@aol.com) or call 781-801-2734. We look forward to hearing from you! Weather and various other circumstances can force the sessions to be canceled or rescheduled, but volunteers will be notified.
Wednesday, January 9, 2019 – 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 12, 2019 – 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Wednesday, January 16, 2019 – 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, January 23, 2019 – 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, January 30, 2019 – 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Type of work: Curatorial – replacing old packets, data basing, and inserting collections. A great chance to work with historic collections of New England lichens, bryophytes, algae, and fungi.
Location: Farlow Herbarium, 22 Divinity Ave, Cambridge, MA.
This full-day program on November 11 at the Berkshire School in Sheffield focuses on managing the landscape sustainably, led by Neil Diboll, Jeff Lowenfels, Lee Buttala, and Dr. Robert J. Gegear. Please join us as we hear from the experts on topics relevant to all gardeners and growers.
Neil Diboll: The American Garden: A Life or Death Situation
Our gardens and landscapes are becoming increasingly important refuges for pollinators, birds, butterflies and other creatures as their former habitats disappear. Diboll will focus on the evolution of the American garden from solely a creation for enjoyment of the owners to becoming a biodiverse refuge for native plants and animals. He will share a step-by-step approach that will provide you with “tried and true” methods to convert a small area to a prairie garden or a large acreage to a beautiful meadow.
A pioneer in the native plant industry and recognized internationally as an expert in native plant community ecology, Neil Diboll has guided the growth of Prairie Nursery for 30 years. He has dedicated his life to the propagation of native plants and their promotion as uniquely beautiful, ecologically beneficial and sustainable solutions for landscapes and gardens. In 2013 Neil was the recipient of the Great American Gardeners Award from the American Horticultural Society.
Jeff Lowenfels: Teaming With Microbes and Fungi: The Organic Gardener’s Guide to the Soil Food Web
No one ever fertilizes the Redwoods. How did these trees live over 500 years and grow to 380 feet without Miracle-Gro or other chemicals? In an extremely humorous and entertaining presentation, Jeff Lowenfels will tell you and show you how to successfully use the very same natural principles to maintain your yard and grow your gardens. No more chemical fertilizers, pesticides and other nasty chemicals and a lot less work as Jeff shows you how to team with the microbes in your soil! After just one extremely painless and entertaining hour even the ‘reluctant spouse’ will never use chemicals again. As more and more professionals in all aspects of horticulture are learning about the benefits of mycorrhizal fungi, these symbiotic fungi are becoming readily available to the public as a whole. All gardeners and growers need to learn about mycorrhizal fungi and how to use them as they make a huge, beneficial difference in so many ways. This talk gives you all you need to know, plus a few laughs. Jeff Lowenfels is the author of a trilogy of award winning books on plants and soil, and he is the longest running garden columnist in North America. Lowenfels is a national lecturer as well as a fellow, hall of fame member, and former president of the Garden Writers of America.
Lee Buttala: The Return of the Species
In a horticultural and agricultural universe where hybrids and vegetative propagation have become commonplace, the biodiversity of many species is being bottlenecked even by those with the best of intentions. In this talk about how to maintain the genetic breadth of species and varieties that allow them to adapt and evolve to local conditions and weather change, Lee Buttala advocates for the importance and ease of growing many of these plants from open-pollinated seed. Citing examples he has learned from writing about seed saving in relation to his work on the preservation of heirloom vegetables at Seed Savers Exchange, Buttala sets forward a simple approach to how we can all contribute to biodiversity in our own backyards, whether we are growing natives, vegetables or ornamental plants, in a manner which is economically and environmentally sound and satisfying, not to mention cost-effective and fun. Learn to preserve the biodiversity of the plant kingdom, one seed at a time.
Lee Buttala is the Executive Director of Seed Savers Exchange, a seed bank dedicated to the sharing and saving of seeds that define America’s food and garden heritage, and the only non-governmental organization storing seed at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. Formerly the director of marketing communications for BBG and the Preservation Manager for the Garden Conservancy, he is also the Chair of the Historic Landscapes Committee of the APGA. He was the Emmy-Award winning garden television producer for Martha Stewart Living, the creator of PBS’s Cultivating Life and editor of the award-winning book: The Seed Garden: The Art and Practice of Saving Seed. He also writes a weekly garden column for the Berkshire Edge and sits on the board of Hollister House Garden in Washington, CT. He studied garden design at the Chelsea Physick Garden, the New York Botanical Garden, and the Kyoto School of Art and Design.
Dr. Robert J. Gegear: Humming a Different Tune: An Ecological Approach to Native Pollinator Conservation
Pollinators are declining at an unprecedented rate worldwide due to human-induced rapid environmental change. These declines pose a significant threat to our food supply and consequently, there has been major focus on the development and implementation of conservation strategies to maintain pollination services to crop plants. However, the overwhelming majority of current strategies do not consider the keystone role that pollinators play in natural ecosystems, making them an ineffective tool for maintaining and restoring biodiversity. Dr. Robert Gegear of WPI Department of Biology and Biotechnology, and Director of the New England Bee-cology Project, researches and presents on the importance of developing an ecologically-focused approach to developing and maintaining your garden, citing examples from his ongoing field research in Massachusetts. Dr. Robert J. Gegear is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology and Biotechnology at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and the Director of the New England Bee-cology Project. Dr. Gegear’s current research focuses on Pollinator neuroecology and conservation, with particular focus on bumblebees native to Massachusetts.
Sponsored by the Berkshire Botanical Garden, Red Lion Inn, Berkshire School, and the Seed Savers Exchange
Tuition ($95 for BBG members, $105 for nonmembers) includes lunch. Register at www.berkshirebotanical.org.
