Upcoming Workshop!

Join us in beautiful Cambria, CA for a two-day Mycology Immersion to learn in-depth knowledge of fungal biology and ecology, fungal species local to Cambria and how you can contribute to the field of mycology through community science!

Mycology 101

In this class (60-120 minutes), we provide a comprehensive overview of the vast and multi-dimensional world of mycology. This is a great class for beginners wanting to take their first steps into an understanding of fungi or as an addition to any science-based educational curriculum. We can adapt the online class for any age 15 and up! We prefer to do in-person teachings for kids under 15.

This class is not meant to go very deep into any one particular subject/area of mycology, but rather open the broad-ranging doors to anyone who wants to deepen in relationship to the fungal KINdom.

This class covers:

• Fungal biology

• Intro to Taxonomy

• Evolutionary biology through the fungal lens

• Fungal ecology

• Fungal anatomy and identification processes

• Ethnomycology

• Brief introduction to applied mycology

  • mushroom cultivation

  • mushrooms as food and medicine

  • mycoforestry

  • mycoremediation

  • mycomaterials

• Q&A

Medicinal Mushroom Workshops

In this two-part online class, we will journey together into the wondrous and timeless realm of fungal medicine, illuminate their miraculous qualities, explore how to be in reciprocal relationship with various species of medicinal fungi, and dive deep into the sacred process of making mushroom medicine.

Part 1: Intro to Medicinal Fungi

• An introduction to mycology and fungal ecology through the medicinal lens

• Fungal constituents: what makes medicinal mushrooms medicinal? What are these constituents doing in the fungal body and in the human body?

• Processing mushrooms & medicine-making techniques:

  • teas/broths

  • triple extraction tinctures

  • powdered extracts

  • syrups

  • face creams and salves

  • other funky ways to use mushrooms (ferments, gummies, jerky, ice cream, beer etc.)

• Q&A

Part 2: Deepening in Relationship

• Ethical approaches/opportunities for reciprocity and honorable harvesting practices for medicinal fungi

• A basic introduction to cultivating your own medicinal fungi

• Some common & abundant species of medicinal fungi you can find in your local ecology (with a focus on fungi in the greater bay area, CA bioregions)

  • identification

  • traditional uses

  • constituents

  • healing properties 

  • species-specific harvesting practices

• Q&A

Duration: 120-180 minutes. You can schedule part 1 or part 2 separately, but we recommend doing them together!

Mycoremediation Workshops

Fungi are the grand molecular alchemists of our Living Earth. They are some of the only organisms on the planet that can break down cellulose and lignin (the complex structural polymers that make up plants.) With this enzymatic magic, they can also break down, digest, and bioaccumulate some of our most prevalent and persistent pollutants.

This class/workshop is great for anyone who is interested in exploring mycoremediation as a practice for healing toxic sites, those deepening in the art of ecological restoration, as well as those interested in at-home experimentation or permaculture practices and design.

In this class:

• Introductions to bioremediation and mycoremediation

• The science of mycoremediation and why it works

• Why remediation of the Earth-body is the remediation of the human body

• Forms and practices of low-tech, low-cost, DIY mycoremediation:

  • post-fire mycoremediation

  • mycofiltration for addressing polluted waterways

  • growing on pollutants & toxic waste

  • decontaminating oil and other PAH’s

  • growing on household/agricultural waste

• Case studies and projects from Bay Area Applied Mycology & CoRenewal

• Other experiments/research/real world examples

• Q&A

Workshops can vary widely in length and subject depending on the context of the specific site or project. Please contact me with further details and we can set up an education/inspirational experience around restoring balance to an ecological conundrum. If you are interested in a personalized installation and not a class, please see our mycoremediation installations offering.