Illinois Mycological Association

The Illinois Mycological Association or IMA is a group of mushroom enthusiasts, citizen scientists, foragers, and professional mycologists based in the Chicago area.

Illinois Mycological Association
AbbreviationIMA
PredecessorIllinois Mycological Society
Formation1973; 51 years ago (1973)
FounderMarcia Mau
Founded atChicago
TypeNGO
Purposemycology
Region
Illinois
President
Susan Kayser[1]
Scientific Advisor
Patrick Leacock[2]
Program Chair
Catherine Lambrecht[1]
Secretary
Crystal McAllister[1]
PublicationFungus Friends[3]
Parent organization
North American Mycological Association[4]
Websitewww.illinoismyco.org

Overview

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Meetings are held monthly, except in some winter months, at the Niles Historical & Cultural Center.[5] Originally meetings were held at the Field Museum of Natural History, and later at North Park Village Nature Center, both in Chicago.[3] The meetings usually include a lecture from a professional mycologist or author and are free and open to the public. However, only members can attend the mushroom forays, or hunts, which are the best way to identify local fungi. These happen a couple times a month from the first foray for morels and other spring mushrooms at Kankakee River State Park in late April or early May,[6] until the September foray to gather displays for the Annual Mushroom Show.[7] The free public show is every year during Labor Day weekend at the Chicago Botanic Garden.[8][7][9]

The monthly newsletter has been called Fungus Friends since 1993, but was published before then without a title.[3] The newsletter is where the details for the locations for the forays are listed.

The IMA is a participant in the North American Mycoflora Project, which will identify and map the mycobiota of North America, representing the Chicago region.[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "About Us". Illinois Mycological Association. 2018. Archived from the original on 11 March 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  2. ^ Illinois Mycological Association PSA. YouTube. 14 March 2014. Archived from the original on 29 May 2019. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  3. ^ a b c Schutte, Eileen (2010). "The History of the Illinois Mycological Association". Illinois Mycological Association. Archived from the original on 3 March 2019. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  4. ^ "NAMA Affiliated Clubs". North American Mycological Association. 2018. Archived from the original on 9 April 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  5. ^ "Featured Events". Illinois Mycological Association. 2018. Archived from the original on 3 January 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  6. ^ Sula, Mike (1 May 2008). "Omnivorous: The 'Shroomer Who Shares". Chicago Reader. Chicago. Archived from the original on 7 April 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  7. ^ a b Wiley, Melissa (4 September 2014). "Meet The Mushroom: Forage With The Illinois Mycological Association". Chicagoist archives. WNYC. Archived from the original on 5 November 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  8. ^ "Illinois Mycological Association Mushroom Show & Sale". Chicago Botanic Garden. Glencoe, IL. 2018. Archived from the original on 17 October 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  9. ^ O'Connor, Rod; Hewet, Lucy (3 April 2017). "Do You Know the Mushroom Man?". Chicago magazine. Chicago Tribune Media Group. ISSN 0362-4595. OCLC 25489576. Archived from the original on 7 April 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  10. ^ "Participants". North American Mycoflora Project. 2017. Archived from the original on 1 June 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018. Mycoflora of Chicago Region Project Lead: Patrick Leacock Sponsored by: Illinois Mycological Association Region: Cook County, IL and adjacent counties