MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

 

Thank you for your interest in the Mycological Society of Toronto (MST).  This page provides some basic information about our Society for those considering joining us.  Some people are not familiar with the term "Mycological".   Mycology is the branch of botany dealing with fungi.  Mushrooms or toadstools are the fleshy fruiting bodies (reproductive structures) produced by  what are commonly known as the higher fungi.  They are not independent organisms, but part of a larger organism. Not all fungi are mushrooms; for example, yeasts and mildews, water moulds and bread moulds, and the dreaded athlete’s foot fungus.  They do not produce fleshy fruiting bodies.

 

The Challenge of Identification

A special interest of the members of our Society is the identification of different types of mushrooms and their classification into their genus and species.  Among our members are those who have a special interest in edible mushrooms.  We must accept the evidence that there is no simple method to identify an edible mushroom from a poisonous one.  Books reporting on edibility only reflect the historical records of mycophagy, the eating of mushrooms.  They cannot make an accurate prediction as to how you personally will react to the ingestion of a specimen of the same species.  Someone once said: "There are old mycophagists and there are bold mycophagists, but there are no old, bold mycophagists."  The fact is that we must first learn the characteristics of the many species of mushrooms, to ensure their absolute identification.  There is no shortcut!

 

The Mycological Society and its Programs

We are mostly a group of amateurs supported by a number of active or retired professional mycologists, and we are eager to collect, study and identify fungi, particularly the larger mushrooms.  Our Society encourages activities that explore the ecological role of fungi, and support the conservation of wild mushrooms. We do not promote the harvesting of mushrooms for commercial purposes, nor any activity that would disturb the balance of nature.  We are a non-for-profit club, and volunteer members manage all our affairs.

 

During the spring and fall of each year, our Society organizes a series of forays to various locations within about an hour’s drive of the perimeter of Toronto.  These are held in the earlier part of the day on Saturdays and Sundays.  Each foray has a designated foray leader who provides guidance to the participants.

 

We organize five informative meetings a year for our members.  These are held at the Toronto Botanical Garden.  Guest speakers are invited to give presentations on various topics associated with the field of mycology.

 

Another one of our programs is a mushroom dinner at a specialty restaurant that is usually held after the first weekend in May.

 

The annual Cain Foray usually takes place on the third weekend of September in the Muskoka area.  After the fungi are gathered and identified, they are displayed at the "Fungi Fair” held at the Toronto Botanical Garden (Lawrence and Leslie) on the Monday following that weekend.

 

The MST is affiliated with the North American Mycological Association (NAMA) in the USA, an umbrella organization of about 2000 members of 70 societies and clubs in North America.

 

 Membership Features

The annual membership fee is (CDN) $30.00, or $55.00 for 2 years, which includes immediate members of a family at the same mailing address, and entitles you to the following:

 

·        vote in all business proceedings;

·        four issues per year of the MST newsletter “Mycelium";

·        participation in our half-day spring and fall forays, field trips;

·        field identification instructions (bring your own guide books);

·        participation in activities of special interest groups (photography, microscopy, spore prints, mycophagy, cultivation, etc.);

·        attendance at membership meetings which usually feature presentations by mycologists and others on topics related to the field of mycology;

·        a copy of MST's resource library catalogue;

·        borrowing of books, articles and papers from the Society's library;

·        getting assistance with using or purchasing a microscope;

·        a discount of $3.00 US. on membership to the North American Mycological Association (NAMA);

·        free admission to the Fall mycological special event, the Fungi Fair;

·        opportunity to attend the annual fall weekend “Cain Foray” in the Muskoka-Haliburton area;

·        information about international mycological forays, publications, mycological supplies;

·        information about books useful to beginners;

·        participation in beginner's and intermediate courses and other planned workshops on fungi at a fee.

 

You can appreciate that it would be impossible for our Society to provide full support to amateur mycologists throughout the whole province or elsewhere on an individual basis.  There are examples of small groups of serious amateur naturalists that have formed in other parts of this province; they are self-sufficient.  Those who live some distance away from the Greater Toronto Area may not be able to take part in all of our activities.  They are, of course, still quite welcome to join us if they share our interests.

 

If you wish to apply for membership, please complete the Application Form which you can find by clicking here, and mail it to the Membership Director.

 

Should you require further information about membership, contact the Membership Director by e-mail