Scarborough Mycological Foray

Led by artist Diane Borsato of Outdoor School, and mycologists Eli Pullan and Dina Rashid, this informal foray in the Highland Creek Valley will provide opportunity for participants to gather, identify, and learn more about wild mushrooms, while enjoying and celebrating nature. Free and family-friendly, all are welcome!

Registration for this program is required. Free shuttle bus departs OCADU at 9:15 am and returns at 1:30 pm, reserve your seat upon registration. If you have accommodation needs, please let us know through the registration form or contact dmg.utsc@utoronto.ca.

The walk will begin from the H-Wing Patio at U of T Scarborough at 10 am.

Please dress for the weather, wearing good walking shoes, and pants that can be tucked into socks (for avoiding scratches/insect bites if going off path). Sunscreen and bug repellent recommended. It's also recommended to bring a basket in which to collect the mushrooms, and a folding pocket knife to cut them. Additional recommendations can be found on the website of the Mycological Society of Toronto.

This program will be held outdoors, and it will go forward rain or shine. Participants can choose how much of the valley they would like to explore during the program. The Ma Moosh Ka Win Trail is wheelchair accessible; the trail that continues beyond is an uneven, dirt path. This program will include opportunities to sit down/rest.

ABOUT THE FACILITATORS

Outdoor School is an ongoing collaborative, creative platform producing environmental art and education projects with artists, farmers, scientists, activists and more, led by curator Amish Morrell and visual artist Diane Borsato. Together they have collaborated on exhibitions, performances, guided walks, residencies, and publications with artists including Sameer Farooq, Futurefarmers, Tania Willard, Public Studio and many others, supported by institutional partners including the Toronto Biennial of Art, the Banff Centre for the Arts, the Doris McCarthy Gallery at the University of Toronto Scarborough, Sierra Nevada University, the University of Guelph, OCADU, and the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. Outdoor School is also the title of a recent book exploring environmental art and writings by Diane Borsato and Amish Morrell, alongside the works of many Canadian and Indigenous friends and collaborators published by Douglas & McIntyre in 2021.

Eli Pullan is a board member of the Mycological Society of Toronto, and has been foraging mushrooms for over 45 years. He started his career in computer programming, and other technology ventures, but for the last 20 years has been has been a lawyer practicing litigation law. He enjoys introducing people to the fascinating world of fungi. 

Dina Rashid is Program Director for the Mycological Society of Toronto (MST). Rashid recently formed a partnership with the MST and ROM Fungarium aka Toronto Crytograms (TRTC) to help raise funds to hire an intern to sequence specimens for their database.