Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, Fort Clatsop announces the autumn 2017 In Their Footsteps free speakers series. The first program in this monthly series is scheduled for 1pm on Sunday, September 17 with Dane Osis presenting Mysterious Mushrooms of Clatsop County.

An amazing variety of fungi thrive in Clatsop County due to the area's high precipitation and humidity. This illustrated talk will cover the rules and regulations for mushroom foraging as well as the equipment needed to collect fungi. The audience will also learn about some of the common species of both edible and poisonous mushrooms found in this area.

Dane Osis is a state park ranger at Fort Stevens State Park. After gaining a foundation in mushroom identification through several college courses, Dane commercially picked mushrooms in the Siskiyou and Deschutes National Forests. He has been teaching mushroom identification for the past 14 years at Fort Stevens State Park and has shared similar training at several Oregon State Parks and the Tillamook Forestry Center.

Other upcoming speaker series programs include:
October 15 – America's Master Park Maker: Frederick Law Olmsted by Laurence Cotton
November 19 – A Town Called Seaside by Gloria Linkey
December 17 – Channeling Your Inner Lewis & Clark by Richard Brenne

In Their Footsteps speaker series is an opportunity to meet scholars, authors, and artists. Join the conversation and be inspired by history, people and culture. This free forum is presented at 1pm on Sundays in the Netul River Room at Fort Clatsop Visitor Center, Lewis and Clark National Historic Park.

For more information, call the park at (503) 861-2471.