About the Adventure

Activity Level: 1-2 Moderate (long and a little hilly) Location: Boyce Mayview Park, Upper St. Clair Guides: Barbora Batokova (@fungiwoman on Instagram) + WAC Guide Meisha This slow paced hike will be led by Barbora Batokova - a local mushroom expert, president of the Western PA Mushroom Club, and published author of "Hunting Mushrooms: How to Safely Identify, Forage and Cook Wild Fungi." We will begin our journey toward the Chartiers Creek watershed where Barbora will dazzle us with her knowledge of different fungi. We will not be foraging on this walk, but we will discuss our findings along the way. Come prepared with questions, a notebook, and your iNaturalist app downloaded! Discover the secrets of these intriguing organisms while surrounded by the sights, sounds, and scents of the woods. Total walking distance: 2-3 miles at a slow pace. Things we’ll do: • Walk the trails looking for mushrooms, stop to look at them, and learn about their ecology, characteristics, and properties. • Compare similar mushrooms side by side to learn how to differentiate between them. • Discuss mushroom foraging, mycology, and why we love fungi! • Learn about some tips and tricks for mushroom photography. Things we won’t do: • Forage for mushrooms. • Remove mushrooms or damage any trees, shrubs or plants. Attendance is limited to 18 people so that we can be in a small group and interact closely.