This Fall, join amateur mycologist and molecular biologist Jessie MacAlpine for an exploration of the lower Don Valley trails to forage for fungi and learn about the fungi growing in the Greater Toronto Area. Discover the best strategies for finding and identifying fungi in your neighbourhood.

Note: we will not be picking fungi during this hike. There are no guarantees we will find particularly dramatic fungi on this walk (although we are optimistic!). The pace will be mild but come prepared to venture slightly off the trails if we find interesting fungi!

Please note this is a small group, in-person, outdoor event.

About the Speaker

Jessie MacAlpine is a PhD candidate in the Department of Molecular Genetics at the University of Toronto. Her research investigates the interactions between commensal bacteria and human fungal pathogens with the goal of discovering novel antifungal therapeutics. In her spare time, Jessie is passionate about science communication and she is currently a freelance journalist with engineering.com and a writer and actor on the TVOKids science show, Blynk & Aazoo. In her spare time, you can often find her outside hiking, trail running and foraging for fungi.

Interested in learning more or brushing up on your fungi knowledge? Check out last Fall’s Fungi: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly.

Event Logistics

Please wear comfortable footwear and dress appropriately for the weather and terrain. The walking pace will be mild. This is a rain or shine event. In the event of severe weather, e.g. thunderstorms, we will make an informed decision on the day and notify attendees as soon as possible via the email they register with.

This event will be photographed.

Cancellation Policy

If you are feeling unwell on the day of the event or have had a recent exposure to COVID-19, please cancel your ticket on Eventbrite or contact us so that it may be allocated to the waitlist. 

Accessibility

This event is a mild pace nature walk along an outdoor trail with uneven ground. There may be some stairs.