Barer Covenant: Fungi and Fertilized Flowers

Pool at the summit. Photo credit Torrey Archer.

This week TLC staff and volunteers headed out to the Barer covenant, located near Mt. Work. It was a sweltering day, though hiking in the forest kept them cool. Along the way they found many spotted coralroot orchids (Corallorhiza maculata). One of the specimens encountered was fertilized, evidenced by the swollen ovules. An interesting thing about coralroot is that it lacks chlorophyll, the pigment that is critical for photosynthesis. As this plant cannot photosynthesize, it needs to obtain “food” by another means – so it parasitizes a fungus and steals it’s food instead! Crafty little plant.

Hiking onwards, the crew crossed through a marshy bog full of ripe skunk cabbage… and a fallen log infested with oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus)! These are common, edible mushrooms that have no poisonous look-alikes, making them a choice pick for beginners. As always though, be completely certain that you have identified a mushroom correctly before eating it. It’s best to learn from experienced mushroom foragers as there are many minute details that an amateur can overlook. A good rule of thumb is to correctly ID a wild mushroom at least 5 times before consuming. Spore prints (placing the cap of the mushroom face down on a plain piece of paper overnight) can help with correct ID as the colour of the spores is an important ID feature. When trying a wild mushroom for the first time (after confirming it’s identity!) eat a very small, cooked piece initially. Some people have adverse reactions to commonly enjoyed mushrooms, and you don’t want to spoil your next day by having too much for the first time!

Continuing on the hike, the crew reached the summit and ate their lunch while revelling in the view of the covenant and the far-off mountains. They also found a pool of rainwater at the summit, deep and persistent enough to host its own micro-ecosystem!

After descending down into the forest, they repeated last year’s photo-monitoring site of a marsh, and also photo-monitored a rocky outcrop nearby to ensure all types of the landscape were represented. Along the way, an old car that is steadily being reclaimed by the forest was found. TLC staff and volunteers couldn’t resist the prime photo op. They also spotted evidence of an old logging technique; loggers would chip a notch into the base of a tree to be cut down where they could fasten planks of wood on which to stand while sawing.