Sense of Place: Mostly Mushrooms

HOOD RIVER — Mt. Adams Institute’s Sense of Place series will continue on Nov. 12 at Columbia Center for the Arts with “Mostly Mushrooms: What I Discovered When I Fell in Love with Fungi” by mushroom educator and forager Krista Cushman — the second lecture of Season 16.

Sense of Place is a comprehensive series of lectures intended to deepen our understanding of the Columbia River Gorge and strengthen our connection to the landscape. Featured voices often include scientists, tribal members, authors, farmers and other diverse individuals across the Pacific Northwest.

Cushman has spent over a decade exploring and sharing the world of mushrooms and fungi through community science and education. She earned her master’s degree from Lewis and Clark College and teaches fifth grade in Hood River, where she lives with her husband, their daughters Bennie and Edie and their dog, Sal. Cushman weaves her passion for fungi into her teaching, community education and hours spent wandering the forests between Mt. Adams and Mt. Hood.

Cushman’s presentation will immerse listeners in the world of fungi, from the mycelium threads weaving through our forests to the seasonal beauty of local mushrooms. The forests of the Columbia River Gorge are bursting with hidden life, much of it under our feet. Along the way, she will share her own path from curiosity to connection, explore the ecological roles of fungi and reveal some of the area’s most intriguing fungal treasures. You may leave seeing the forest and its hidden kingdom through entirely new eyes.

“Krista’s story is educational and inspirational,” said Sarah Fox, host and curator of Sense of Place. “She reminds us that taking a closer look at the natural world around us can transform the way we see our place in the world. Her curiosity is absolutely contagious!”

For tickets and more information, visit senseofplace.org.