Mushrooms, Fungi, Lichen and Moss

441 Route 9W,Alpine NJ 07620

05 June, 2022

Description

Fungi, lichens and mosses are three categories of living things. They may sometimes have relationships with each other and even look alike. What to Expect:We will spend 2+ hours studying the mushrooms/fungi, lichen and moss in the habitat we visit. The focus will be on what a particular species is doing in its particular habitat and what, in fact, is that particularly species. However cold or dry the conditions, participants will find at least 30 different species. What you need:No prior experience is necessary.16 years old minimumBring a hand lens or magnifierFungi, lichens and mosses are three categories of living things. They may sometimes have relationships with each other. They may even look like each other. Fungi (Mushrooms)Fungi belong to their own Kingdom. One of the most obvious differences between them is that fungi can’t make their own food, while plants can. In fact, it is now thought that fungi are more related to animals than plants. Fungi are in the frozen arctic, rainforests, oceans, lakes and rivers. They range in size from being microscopic to over a thousand acres in size. It's believed there are over a million species of fungi in the world, and that we have identified only 5%. Fungi are an important as decomposers and a food source for many animals, including us. MossesMosses, unlike fungi, are plants. They are small and don’t have flowers or seeds. They produce spores like fungi do. Mosses don’t have roots; they absorb water and nutrients through their leaves. Mosses don’t have a root system and live in damp environments to get their water and nutrients. LichensLichens are two organisms – a fungus and an algae – living together. The algae make food and the fungus provides a place to live, protection and moisture for the algae. Lichens grow where other organisms cannot like bare rocks, desert sand, rusty metal, and animal bones. Lichens are also very important to wildlife. Some squirrels use lichen to build nests. Reindeer are dependent on lichen to provide 90% of their diet in the winter. Some invertebrates will use lichen for habitat and camouflage. There is a species of lichen that has been eaten by Native Americans. Lichens have also been used for making dyes, from yellow, brown, green, red, purple and orange. They have even been used in deodorants, salves, and toothpaste. Recommended equipment: Knife: Moraknife,  or Pocket knife (not serrated)All-Weather Notebooksscissorsglovesbags or basketWater bottleDress for the weather - We’ll be outside for all classes, rain or shine Instructor: Taro IetakaTaro is a knowledgeable naturalist with a passion for mushrooms, lichens, mosses, liverworts, and slime molds (protists, not fungi). Park and Recreation Supervisor, Westchester CountyCurator of Cranberry Lake Preserve Former Director of Conservation and Land Stewardship at the Rye Nature CenterFormer President of the Connecticut- Westchester Mycological Association ISA Certified Arborist Suggested Guides:Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America, Third Edition (Peterson Field Guides). - Steven Foster and James A. Duke Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Wild Plants of Central/Eastern U.S - Lee Allen Peterson and Roger Tory Peterson Peterson Field Guide to Mushrooms - Kent and Vera Mcknight Wild Food Adventure Series: Edible Wild Plants From Dirt to Plate - John Kallas, PhD Indian Herbology of North America - Alma R. Hutchens The Forager's Harvest: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants - Samuel Thayer Nature's Garden: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants - Samuel Thayer Incredible Wild Edibles - Samuel Thayer