Meet our Experts
Dr. Andy MacKinnon
Andy MacKinnon is a forest ecologist who lives in Metchosin, BC. His recent research interests include ecology of BC’s ectomycorrhizal fungal species. He is co-author of six best-selling books about plants of western North America, and co-author of the Royal BC Museum Handbook “Mushrooms of British Columbia”. He has taught rainforest ecology field courses in Bamfield and Tofino (for the University of Victoria) and Haida Gwaii (for UBC). He has also taught mushroom identification courses in Tofino (for the Rainforest Education Society) and in Victoria. Andy is also a dedicated conservationist: he’s the Board Chair of Habitat Acquisition Trust (southern Vancouver Island’s regional land trust), and has been involved in the creation of protected areas on Vancouver Island, and along BC’s coast in Haida Gwaii and the Great Bear Rainforest. In August 2024 in Telluride, Colorado, Andy MacKinnon received the Lincoff Award for Significant Contributions to American Mycology. He is president of the South Vancouver Island Mycological Society (SVIMS), and an enthusiastic participant, speaker and field trip leader for various mushroom festivals in southwestern BC and the US Pacific Northwest each autumn.
Juliet Pendray
Juliet Pendray is a naturalist, educator, professional facilitator, and is known for engaging others with her enthusiasm for and knowledge of fungi and lichen. Since 2004, she has shared mycological & lichenological knowledge via walks, talks, courses, instructional media, theatre, species inventories, “bioblitzen” and online forums for 30+ organizations on Vancouver Island and the south coastal mainland of B.C. She is the instructor for lichen and fungi courses at Royal Roads University, a member of SVIMS, VMS, BC Nature and other regional nature organizations, and is a regular identification expert for local mushroom events.
Erin Feldman
I have been fascinated by fungi for as long as I can remember and I love learning about these impressive organisms and sharing my acquired knowledge with receptive minds of all ages. With a background in molecular biology and genetics, fungi were the fourth kingdom of life in my research career, and I recently left the world of academia to establish “Me, Mycelium & I”, a fungal cultivation and education business. I have had the pleasure of wandering in forests across North America talking passionately about local Funga for nearly 2 decades and, more recently, I’m often joined among the trees of Vancouver Island by my favorite little mycologist-in-training.
Candice Cullum
My name is Candice Cullum. I am a wild crafter and wild harvester based both in Edgewood BC and Kneehill County Alberta. Being a fourth generation farm kid, picking berries, harvesting and making use of what nature provided was a part of our daily life. I spend the warmer months volunteering as the Red Deer regional coordinator for the Alberta Mycological Society and leading fungi walks through my business Full Baskets. With a deep passion for wild fungi I carry a lot of baskets.. Which easily lead into my next passion, weaving wild willow! When the cold weather sets in and I can no longer harvest fungi, the willow beckons me. The lovely variations of colour and texture achieved through wild weaving means no matter how many I make, I can never make two the same! An art form that is slowly falling away made it difficult to find classes in my region so I began learning online and making tutorials where I saw they were lacking. The need for more sustainable compostable methods to shop and carry inspired me to begin teaching anyone who was willing. My mission is to inspire folks no matter their location, age or status in life to go outside and play with nature!
