Meeting Activities: Speaker, Flower Show

Clickherefor Flower Show Details. Flower Show entries need to be in place by 6:30pm.

Guest Speaker: Kate MacQuarrie

Presentation Topic: Introduction to Mushrooms and Foraging

Are you curious about - or maybe even a bit nervous of - wild mushrooms? This presentation will dispel some common mushroom myths, explore the essential roles fungi play in our environment, and teach you how to identify some common mushroom species and groups.

As a botanist, Kate is not a mushroom expert (mushrooms are more closely related to animals than they are to plants), but she has been studying them for the past several years and is now comfortable with close to 100 local species or groups (and has taste-tested about 30 wild species). If you are new to mushrooms, this session is for you!

Bio:

Kate MacQuarrie was born and raised in Prince Edward Island, Canada.  She earned her Bachelor of Science from the University of Prince Edward Island in 1991, and a Master of Science in 2003.  From 1995 to 2003 Kate was Executive Director of the non-governmental Island Nature Trust, and she became Director of Forestry for the Province in 2003.  Responsibility for Fish and Wildlife was added in 2005, and Kate is now Director of Forests, Fish and Wildlife.  

Kate’s speciality is plant identification, with many first Provincial records to her name.  Along with identifying plants, she enjoys foraging and has been using local plants for more than three decades.   Kate is a professional trapper and fur handler, and recreational hunter and angler. 

Kate lives on 100 acres of field and forest in Central PEI with her three cats and two dogs, including Golden Retriever Cuan (in photo).