Join us for the Northwoods Foray 2023!
Scroll to the end of this page for the sign up form 🍄Mushroom season in the Upper Midwest is once again looking prime, and no place has higher diversity than the Northwoods. You want to see rare and beautiful species? This is the place to be this September.
We'll be foraying in the National Forest among big, BIG trees. To put it mildly. The forests in Bayfield County have tremendous diversity of plants and mushrooms. Some of the largest amounts of fungi have been historically collected at this event in years past, with some years bringing in upwards of 400 unique specimens. There is very good reason that this foray has been host to the North American Mycological Association annual foray in 2017, and again the regional NAMA foray last year in 2022. The Laurentian Mixed Forest, also known as the Northwoods, is a transition zone between the true boreal forest to the north and Big Woods to the south, with characteristics of each. Our foray regions may includes areas of broadleaf and conifer forest cover, as well as dry sandy barrens, conifer bogs, and swamps. The Northwoods are said to have a distinct smell, which is attributed partially to the presence of sweet fern. Just out the back door of Lakewoods Resort, Lake Namakagon provides a beautiful backdrop to our host site. The cry of the loon is unforgettable to first-timers to the area. There will be a wonderfully diverse array of forays from which to choose from, and full descriptions will be forthcoming. We have an incredible lineup of mycologists, foray leaders, and speakers lined up for this year’s event, and the Lakewoods staff is ready to make your stay a comfortable one, should you choose to stay on-site. Our forays will leave from the Lakewoods parking lot and our specimens and presentations will be downstairs in the main building. Note: Food and lodging are not included in the event cost. This means you will need to make your own reservations at the Lakewoods Resort (our home base), or other hotel, or camp nearby. We have a block of WMS rooms reserved at the Lakewoods for foray go-ers, just mention when you call you are part of the WMS Northwoods Foray event. Please consider booking your rooms NOW! Lakewoods has limited hotel-style rooms available, but they do have lots of options for groups - both woodsy cabins and 1- to 4-bedroom condos. You can contact them at 715-794-2561. There are also a myriad of stunning camping options in the area; many are first come, first served. |
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Ticket prices for Northwoods Foray 2023
WMS members & their guests, adults (18+) - Whole Event, Thurs to Sunday - $125.00 - Friday day pass - $70.00 - Saturday day pass - $70.00 WMS non-member adults - sign up includes membership for the rest of 2023 and all of 2024 - membership is $20 which is built into your ticket price. - Whole Event, Thurs to Sunday - $145.00 - Friday day pass - $90.00 - Saturday day pass - $90.00 For all children ages 17 and under All whole-event tickets and day passes for children are free to this event, but you still need to register them and sign up at least 1 adult who will act as a guardian. Fill out the form below per child of any age and it will "charge" $0 to submit. This will help us keep track of numbers and will help you at check-in. |
Here is a look at our event schedule this year! A final schedule with additional details will be sent to attendees before the event. This schedule is for reference picking day-passes or planning travel.
THURSDAY - SEPTEMBER 7, 2023 3:00 - 5:30 PM Check-in with WMS 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM - Meet & Greet Social FRIDAY - SEPTEMBER 8, 2023 7 AM - 8:15 AM Earliest check-in with WMS for Friday day pass Starting 8:30 AM - Morning Foray Options Starting 9:00 AM - All Day Foray Option Starting 1:00 PM - Afternoon Foray Options From 4:00 PM - Evening - Mushrooms Drop Off and ID From 4:00 PM - Evening - Vendor Marketplace Available 4:30 - 5:30 PM - iNaturalist Observation Workshop 6:30 - 7:15 PM - Friday's Table Talk with Mycologists 7:30 PM - Presentation by Emily Stone of the Cable Natural History Museum SATURDAY - SEPTEMBER 9, 2023 7 AM - 8:15 AM Earliest check-in with WMS for Saturday day pass Starting 8:30 AM Morning Foray Options Starting 9:00 AM - All Day Foray Option Starting 1:00 PM - Afternoon Foray Options From 4:00 PM - Evening - Mushrooms Drop Off and ID From 4:00 PM - Evening - Vendor Marketplace Available 4:30 - 5:30 PM - iNaturalist Observation Workshop 6:30 -7:15 PM - Saturday's Table Talk with Mycologists 7:30 PM - Presentation by Beatriz Ortiz-Santana of the Forest Service - Center for Forest Mycology Research on Leccinum, Tylopilus, and Boletus SUNDAY - SEPTEMBER 10, 2023 Packing up fungi specimens, taking the rest back to the woods, cleaning up, saying goodbye! We are planning to have at least one "Fungi & Flora" foray option per day, at least one Friday and one Saturday. This will have a foray leader on hand who can discuss the fungi and plant life you see. |
