Do you have mushroom on your schedule?

The Lincoln County Mycological Society presents “Mushrooms of Cascadia: Fantastic Fungi of the PNW,” a slideshow presentation and book-signing by Christian Schwarz at the Pacific Maritime Heritage Center this Thursday, Oct. 24.

Schwarz is touring to celebrate the release of his latest book, written with co-author Noah Siegel, “Mushrooms of Cascadia: A Comprehensive Guide to the Fungi of the Pacific Northwest.”

The presentation will explore the diverse and sometimes extraordinary fungi of the Oregon Coast, and what makes that assemblage of fungi so unique and distinctive. A Q&A session will be included.

Schwarz’ love of the fabulous world of fungi came about as a happy accident.

“As a kid, I was always interested in natural history but had no interest in mushrooms,” he said. “My brother was, though, and he asked for a field guide for Christmas. When he got one, he asked me to go out into the woods with him. At first, I thought it sounded boring, but once we got out there and I started to see the amazing variety of mushrooms that there are, I was entranced.”

Schwarz will show how this area fits into the larger quilt of American bioregions as a whole, and the important role that community and citizen science plays in the rapidly growing interest in mycology, the study of fungi.

Schwarz’ second book after "Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast," ““Mushrooms of Cascadia” is specific to the Central Coast area found west of the Cascades, and is more focused on the area than popular field identification books like “All the Rain Promises and More.”

“There is about a 40 percent different assemblage than in the first book,” Schwarz said. “We cover a small area deeply.”

Whether you're a forager, an amateur mycologist, a professional or just enjoy fungi for their culinary properties, or simply for their beautiful and curious forms, this presentation is guaranteed to increase your appreciation and understanding of these crucial organisms in our world.

Thursday’s talk starts at 6 pm at the Pacific Maritime Heritage Center, located at 333 SE Bay Blvd. in Newport. Admission is by donation to the Lincoln County Mycological Society on a sliding scale of $10 to $30.

For more information, email LCMycoSociety@gmail.com or call 530-748-9365.