Tag: lichen

The 2025 Bill Russell Foray

The 2025 Bill Russell Foray group photo, courtesy Rodney Spencer

Once our honeymoon wrapped up, there was one thing on my mind: the 2025 Bill Russell Foray, held by the Central Pennsylvania Mushroom Club. While we wandered through the Finger Lakes, I mulled over what the first weekend in August would have in store for me. I had never visited Camp Golden Pond, a Girl Scout Camp now transformed into a private campground. In my typical overthinker style, I read countless reports of other forays happening up and down the East Coast. By the time August 7th rolled around, I was exuberant.

On Friday afternoon, my sister and I took off in my loaded-up Jeep, headed for Petersburg. My sister was equally as excited as myself, and as we passed Jo Hayes Vista, we realized we were far ahead of schedule. To kill some time, we stopped at Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center. We zipped through the exhibits, tip-toed through Klingsberg Aviary, and took a long break kneeling in the lobby to watch a monarch caterpillar transform into a cocoon.

After the caterpillar sealed itself away, we hit the road again. We pulled into Camp Golden Pond right at 5 o’clock, finding ourselves in the middle of a busy scene. Some were setting up tents, and others were carrying gear indoors. My sister and I checked in at the registration table and headed over to Palmer Lodge to find some bunks on the Tussey Level. We had our pick of bunkrooms, as most were tenting. After setting up our bunks and stowing gear, we headed back up to Legacy Lodge for the commencement of our weekend.

Friday evening began with dinner, a taco bar prepared by club members. As the cleanup crew reset the hall for our guest speaker, the Silent Auction kicked off. Shortly after 7:30pm, our speaker for the evening was ready: Hanna Huber, Conservation Mycologist for the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program (PNHP). She spoke to us about her experience and love for mycology, and her goals for her work with PNHP. Her sincere passion for mycology and conservation shone through during her presentation. After her presentation, I felt even more inspired and excited for the day head.

Lake Louise at Camp Golden Pond

Saturday morning dawned bright and hot- the temperatures would later peak in the high 80s. After breakfast, we took a group photograph before heading off for our initial collecting walks. Everyone was worried about what we would find. Centre County had had several weeks of no rain and high temperatures; a poor recipe for good foraying. However, we were delighted to be proven otherwise. After walking around Lake Louise and up to Unit II, my basket was full of fungi and lichen. We returned to Legacy Lodge for lunch and initial mushroom identification.

This year, CPMC was trying something new with identification. Upon returning from a collecting walk, participants sorted their finds into three categories: pored mushrooms, gilled mushrooms, or “other, not gilled or pored.” Each specimen was given its own paper plate and a slip of paper with a simple form requesting information about the finder, location found, substrate, and general observations. I dutifully filled out the forms to the best of my ability, I am a beginner, after all! Our finds quickly filled the tables and the lodge with the subtle scent of the forest.

After lunch, we broke off into small groups for different activities. Some went to nearby Natural Areas for more collecting, others to a mushroom cultivation demo, or to a fabric dyeing activity. I chose to attend the fabric dyeing activity, which turned out to be loads of fun.  

Over the ensuing hours, I learned that mushrooms and lichens can be used to dye natural fabrics and to make paints. As a small group, we worked together to dye silk squares with different types of mushrooms. We had our most striking results from using blood red webcap, dyer’s polypore, and artist’s conk. The breeze on Palmer Lodge porch kept us from being too hot as we checked water temperatures, steeped mushrooms, and soaked fabrics. In the middle of the activity, I rushed back up to Legacy Lodge to make a commemorative print of an Old Man in the Woods fungus, carved by artist Allan Sutley. With my print drying on my car’s dashboard, I rushed back to the porch to help tidy up and prepare the dyebaths for wool yarn. Colorful silk squares fluttered in the breeze as we returned to Legacy Lodge for dinner and our keynote speaker.

Our speaker for Saturday evening was Bolete Bill. His presentation, “Slugs, Bugs, and Other Mushroom Thugs” focused on connections in nature- how mushrooms are an integral part of habitats across the globe. I was really interested in all the different insects Bill introduced to us. Many different species of insects utilize mushrooms as nurseries for larvae, habitat for adults, and food supply for all phases of life. Some even carry mycelium with them to cultivate fungi to feed its larvae! I could have listened to Bolete Bill speak all night.

After breakfast the following morning, we split into two groups: one focusing on completing mushroom identification, and the other at a cooking demonstration in the kitchen. My sister was teaching us to prepare mushroom tartlets- an hors d’oeuvre of savory sauteed mushrooms secured to puff pastry with herbed cream cheese. While we waited for the tartlets to finish in the oven, she shared with us her pre-made loaded mushroom dip- equally delicious and easy to prepare.

This gigantic polypore was found by a club member before the Foray started

With the cooking demonstration over, and Legacy Lodge cleaned, it was time for us to depart. I was exhausted, but happy- I had spent the whole weekend surrounded by other amateur and professional mycologists, people who care as deeply about fungi, lichen, and nature as myself. With plans to attend next year and participate in leading group activities, my sister and I jumped in the Jeep and headed home.

If you are interested in participating in the 2026 Bill Russell Foray, pay close attention to the website and social media (Facebook and Instagram) of the Central Pennsylvania Mushroom Club. I have covered an example of our regular meetings in the past, and more are still on the schedule for this coming Fall. I look forward for next year’s Bill Russell Foray and for continuing my journey through mycology with my friends in CPMC!

Lichen Love Affair

Flavopunctelia soredica, Powder-edged Speckled Greenshield

In February, I attended Community Nature Journaling at Shaver’s Creek. The day’s lessons focused on the biology and ecology of lichens. This event opened my eyes to lichenology and has been a source of many hours of study.

Lichens are the product of a symbiotic relationship between algae and fungi. The fungi is the dominant partner- dictating the lichen’s thallus to fruiting body. The algae is a type of cyanobacterium and provides food for the fungi. Lichens will grow on many substrates, and we will see them often on trees and rocks. Lichens are among the first colonizers of bare rocks. They aid in the development of better habitat for mosses and other plants.

Flavoparmelia caperata, Common Greenshield

Lichens grow on many different substrates in a vast array of environments. Lichens occur everywhere in Pennsylvania. Lichens are often accessible for study- my favorite place to find them are in parking lots! Even though lichens are common, they are very slow to grow and develop. It’s best to snap a picture and move on. Disturbing any lichen, especially a large one, will damage years or decades of growth.

My favorite lichen species is Flavoparmelia caperata – the Common Greenshield Lichen. This species is among the most common species of lichens in North America. On a tree, it has a bright, limey green foliose thallus. The edges of the leaves are smooth and feel tough and leathery to my touch. My second favorite is Parmotrema hypotropum – the Powdered Ruffle Lichen. This lichen reminds me of the tops of lettuce with their deep ruffled surface. The colors of the Powdered Ruffle Lichen aren’t as intense as my favorite, but are still beautiful to me.

Xanthoria parietina, Common Sunburst Lichen

Despite the variety of lichens, I’ve had a difficult time finding a definitive field guide. I’ve been relying on the Pennsylvania Bryophyte and Lichen Diversity Project on iNaturalist. I post my pictures and rough identifications, and a member of the project checks my work. I learn a lot from their corrections, and have become better at identification.

With the summer months coming, it will become more difficult for me to spot lichens. My favorite species’ preferred habitats are on trees. Once leaves emerge, I’m not sure if the lichens will be so easy to spot. Plus, any exposed rocks will soon cover with brush and vines. I’m hoping to spend the “off” months looking for a good field guide. One book exists, Urban Lichens by Jessica Allen and James Lendemer. There’s many websites that appear promising but are difficult to navigate.

Flavoparmelia caperata, Common Greenshield

The last few months have been full of lichen-related exploration and learning. I look forward to more en-lichen-ing discoveries as the seasons progress!