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The Puget Sound Mycological Society is an ALL volunteer non-profit organization. PSMS does not have ANY employees.
PSMS Inclusivity Statement
For over fifty years, the Puget Sound Mycological Society (PSMS) has nurtured collaboration amongst its members for an understanding and appreciation of the wide diversity of mushroom species in the Pacific Northwest. We also depend on a diverse membership to support our mission to foster the understanding and appreciation of mycology as a hobby and a science. In recent months, as systematic inequality in U.S. society is revealed to a broader audience, it becomes clearer that inequality imposes barriers on marginalized groups to participation in a wide variety of activities. PSMS opposes all barriers that limit participation in mycology. PSMS and its board members support a more diverse, inclusive, and welcoming organization where all people, especially those who are underrepresented in our organization and society at large, can enjoy mushrooms and all of the activities associated with them. We realize this will be an on-going conversation and are looking to our members for suggestions on ways to increase diversity, inclusivity, and welcoming. Thank you as we join together to make this long-overdue journey toward systemic equality!
Featured Content
If You Suspect
a Poisoning
Contact a physician or Washington Poison Center: 1-800-222-1222
More Poison InformationSpore Prints Newsletter
Spore Prints is the monthly newsletter of PSMS containing announcements of coming events and speakers, plus a variety of tidbits, trivia, recipes, and research developments.
Spore Prints Archive
Harvesting Rules
Washington state is divided into numerous federal, state, local and Native American jurisdictions. Learn the proper rules for each jurisdiction.
Harvesting Information
Upcoming Events
Tuesday Jan. 13th, 2026 - 7:30pm
Monthly Meeting
Bitty Roy - Oaks, Mushrooms, and Fire
Come and enjoy an evening of photographs and stories about macrofungi in the oak forests and savannahs of the PNW. The oak habitat has been relatively underexplored for macrofungi, yet it is a rich habitat because the trees are mycorrhizal and there are also grassland fungi present. We have data from a comparison of burned versus unburned oak woodlands, and from a fire chronosequence in the S. Willamette Valley. If time allows, comparison will be made with other oak-associated fungi from across the USA (Arizona, Minnesota, Kansas, Massachusetts and Florida).
Dr. Bitty Roy is a renowned mycologist, forest ecologist, and Professor Emerita at the University of Oregon, known for her wide-ranging research on fungal ecology, plant-microbe interactions, and the impacts of environmental change on forest health. Her work spans continents and disciplines, from studying pathogen dynamics in tropical forests to uncovering the intricate relationships among fungi, trees, and disturbance in the Pacific Northwest.
In recent years, Dr. Roy has focused extensively on the ecology of oaks, their associated fungal communities, and the role fire plays in shaping these symbioses. Her research combines field observation, experimental ecology, and community science partnerships to better understand how fungi influence the resilience and regeneration of oak ecosystems.
Dr. Roy is also well known to regional mushroom enthusiasts for her engaging teaching style, contributions to mycological societies, and her ability to connect complex scientific concepts to real-world forest issues. Her work continues to deepen our understanding of how fungi, fire, and trees intertwine to shape the landscapes of the West.
Please join us at our Monthly General Meeting on Tuesday, January 13th at the Center for Urban Horticulture, University of Washington. Doors open at 7:00 PM. There will not be a live Zoom recording of this event, but we will post the talk afterward on our webpage for members only. (This recording will be available for 30 days.)