Olympic
Peninsula
Mycological
Society

The Olympic Peninsula Mycological So ciety (OPMS) is a nonprofit, volunteer organization dedicated to learning about and enjoying wild mushrooms and their environments. It was originally founded in 1977 as the Jefferson County Mycological Society.

Now, most members are from Jefferson and Clallam counties in Washington State, from Brinnon to Joyce with the highest concentration in Sequim. The society is open to anyone.

OPMS holds six meetings during the year to promote the safe enjoyment of wild mushrooms. Usually there is a guest speaker for a specific topic, but sometimes the meetings are devoted to hands-on identification of specimens that members bring to the meeting.

The November meeting is devoted to mushroom preparation and cooking demonstrations.

Meetings alternate between the Tri-Area Community Center in Chimacum and the Gardiner Community Center.

In addition to the six meetings, OPMS conducts at least two forays for wild mushrooms for its members each year. In the spring we go into the Cascade Mountains in search of black morels and other spring mushrooms (snow mushroom, pink-tipped coral, boletes). A second foray is in the fall to the eastern Olympic Mountains for golden chanterelles, russulas, boletes, hedgehogs, and matsutake (or the pine mushroom).

In October of each year, OPMS produces its annual Fall Wild Mushroom Show that is free and open to the public.

Annual dues are $15 per family or $10 per single person.

Currently, we have about 210 members and membership is growing rapidly.

OPMS members may participate in classes on mushroom identification, mushroom cultivation and using mushrooms to dye fabric.

OPMS produces at least two newsletters each year and usually six.