Edible and Non-Edible Fungi

The most common question asked  about wild mushrooms is “Can I eat it?” The second most common question is “Is it poisonous?” The talk  Edible and Non-Edible Fungi will address this dilemma by providing a background of the Kingdom Fungi followed by descriptions of common edibles and comparing them to the most notable poisonous look-alike species. The benefits of fungi as food and the various types of fungal toxins will also be discussed.

William Needham is the president of the Mycological Association of Washington with extensive field and practical experience with fungi. He is also a Master Naturalist in Maryland. After a 30-year career in submarines, he was a corrosion engineer for the Department of Defense for an additional 16 years. His educational background includes degrees in science from MIT and engineering from Duke. He is active with several hiking and nature groups in the area.