For my second co-op term, I worked as a mushroom forager with Pacific Rim Mushrooms. Each day I navigated through pathless old-growth and post-wildfire forests, in search of edible wild mushrooms. I enjoyed learning to identify western Canada’s valuable wild mushrooms, and where they are found. Working in old-growth forests provided me with a practical view of complex forest structures and the role of mycorrhizal fungus. The experience of finding a large patch of pine or morel mushrooms is a satisfying reward for hours spent bushwhacking with a heavy pack.
