Why should I join NATS? During Covid, foray participation is limited to NATS members. NATS members also receive a periodic newsletter, postcard or email notification of upcoming events, and the peace of mind that comes with supporting the NATS mission. Zoom meetings are open to the public, see details below.
How do I join NATS? Annual membership dues (USD): $20 for the first family member, $10 for each additional family member in the same house over the age of 18 years of age. Children under the age of 18 in the same household are free. Businesses: $20 (USD). International memberships (USD): $20. You can join online, or download a membership form. NATS membership dues (and contributions to the Henry Pavelek Sr. Scholarship Fund) are fully tax-deductable.
Meetings: We are resuming in-person meetings! If you plan to attend a meeting, for the protection of the vulnerable we ask that you be healthy, fully vaccinated, and wear a mask. Meetings will also be available via Zoom. NATS members receive a monthly email of upcoming events which will have instructions to participate in meetings. Non-members are also welcome and can get free Zoom access credentials by emailing natrufflingsociety@gmail.com prior to the meeting.
NATS Meeting - Tuesday, April 9, 7:00 PM: Randy and Nancy Molina will present "European Black Truffle Ecotours in Spain: Exploring Spanish Culture with Truffe Hunts, Culinary Delights and Fine Wine." In February 2016, 2019, and 2024, the Molinas participated in Truffle Ecotours led by OSU alum Chris Fischer, world expert on the culture of the European black truffle (Tuber melanosporum). Tours took place in the Ribera del Duero region of Spain (the province of Soria, about 100 miles northeast of Madrid), and included truffle hunts in wildlands and established orchards, countryside hikes, and visits to old villages, castles, and wineries. Over the course of several meals, different chefs prepared a variety of delightful dishes with black truffles. Don’t miss travelogue insights on the local production of truffles in Spain and their growing gastronomical use worldwide.
Randy Molina is a mycologist (and student of Jim Trappe) who led the PNW Forest Mycology Team in Corvallis from 1985 – 2007. Nancy Molina is a forest ecologist who served as Area Ecologist for the Mt. Hood and Gifford Pinchot National Forests, Research Coordinator for the PNW Research Station’s Northwest Forest Plan, Branch Chief for the BLM in Oregon, and currently works with refugees in Portland.
This will be a hybrid meeting, in person and on Zoom. The in person meeting will be in OSU's Cordley Hall, Room 2602. Free parking is available in the lot at 27th & Orchard. To participate via Zoom you must register ahead of time by clicking on https://forms.gle/Gb9857AZW37TeA9N8. If you want to share the Zoom meeting with an interested non-NATS member, forward the link so they can request an invitation. If you have difficulties or questions, email natrufflingsociety@gmail.com ahead of the meeting.
NATS Meeting - Tuesday, May 7, 7:00 PM: Hilary Rose and Heather Dawson will present "Truffle diversity of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument." The Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument (CSNM) lies in a floristically rich region where Californian and Oregonian flora overlap. The Monument spans a range of habitats from high elevation fir forests to lowland savannas. Yet, little is known about the fungi of CSNM. Over a span of two years, Heather Dawson and her sister, Hilary Rose, documented truffle diversity in CSNM via truffle dog forays, finding over 60 species in 25 genera, including many undescribed species. In this talk, Hilary Rose and Heather will share their findings and showcase the use of truffle dogs to explore understudied regions. Truffle dog Rye will be there to demonstrate his fungi finding finesse.
Heather Dawson is a Master’s student at the University of Oregon and a truffle dog trainer. She studies truffle diversity of Willamette Valley oak savanna using truffle dog Rye, a four year old golden retriever. Hilary Rose Dawson is a PhD candidate at the University of Oregon and a postdoctoral research fellow at the Australian National University. She studies plant-soil-fungi interactions in the context of climate change. This will be a hybrid meeting, in person and on Zoom. The in person meeting will be in OSU's Cordley Hall, Room 2602. Free parking is available in the lot at 27th & Orchard. A Zoom registration link will be emailed to NATS members and posted here a few days before the meeting. If you want to share the Zoom meeting with an interested non-NATS member, forward the link so they can request an invitation. If you have difficulties or questions, email natrufflingsociety@gmail.com ahead of the meeting.
NATS Meeting - Tuesday, June 4, 7:00 PM: Christopher Bivins will present "Are mycoheterotrophs actually parasitic? Investigating proximity based abundance of Tomentella fuscocinerea relative to Corallorhiza striata." Mycoheterotrophs, non-photosynthetic fungal symbionts, are typically described as parasitic on their fungal hosts. But are these relationships truly so one-way? Christopher Bivens seeks to elucidate this with research focused on two mycoheterotrophic plants: Sarcodes sanguinea and Corallorhiza striata and their respective ectomycorrhizal fungal hosts, Rhizopogon ellenae and Tomentella fuscocinerea. Research (Bidartondo et al. 2000) shows that S. sanguinea may enjoy a mutualistic relationship with R. ellenae. Bivins investigates C. striata, comparing its interactions with T. fuscocinerea, to assess whether such potentially mutualistic associations are more widespread across mycoheterotrophs.
Utilizing techniques such as environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding from rhizosphere soil and ectomycorrhizal root tips as well as assessment of proximity-based abundance of fungi to plant, his findings suggest the relationship between mycoheterotrophs and their fungal hosts may not be solely parasitic but rather context-dependent, with potential mutualistic interactions varying across species. Don’t miss out on the nuance of these highly complex ecological interactions!
Christopher completed work for his master’s degree at Fresno State. He is currently a Ph.D. student at UC Merced where he works on a number of fungal ecology projects in the Sierra Nevada Foothills.
This will be a hybrid meeting, in person and on Zoom. The in person meeting will be in OSU's Cordley Hall, Room 2602. Free parking is available in the lot at 27th & Orchard. A Zoom registration link will be emailed to NATS members and posted here a few days before the meeting. If you want to share the Zoom meeting with an interested non-NATS member, forward the link so they can request an invitation. If you have difficulties or questions, email natrufflingsociety@gmail.com ahead of the meeting.
Hot off the press: NATS has developed an "Ethical, Sustainable and Common Sense Guide to Harvesting Truffles". By following these guidelines to protect the truffle environment and minimize harvest of immature truffles, we can help to ensure the sustainability of Oregon truffling.
Truffle Dog Training: NATS offers truffle dog training courses periodically, depending on demand. If you are interested, please contact Marilyn Hinds to put your name on the list. We will schedule a training session when we reach quorum, so let us know!
New Oregon law (ORS 164.813) requires a permit to harvest and transport special forest products, including truffles and mushrooms. Deputies are actively enforcing this regulation and violators face substantial fines.
