The Gulf States Mycological Society, Inc. is a non-profit educational organization formed to promote the appreciation and study of the very diversified fungal flora of the Mid-Gulf Coast region by amateur naturalists under the guidance of professional mycologists. The society is affiliated with the non-profit North American Mycological Association.
Gulf States Mycological Society Inc. is the reorganization of the parent New Orleans Mycological Society, which was originally formed in 1979. This reorganization was brought about by our increasingly widening regional membership. Today we have a broad membership base in all the Gulf Coastal States, with additional members scattered across the US.
Our emphasis is on Taxonomy (identifying species) so that the membership can identify, photograph, grow edible/non-edible species of fungi and share their enjoyment of a common interest. For those who wish to learn which species are edible or not, the society presents a safe environment, under the watchful, educating eye of professional Mycologists, a chance to share among each other our gastronomic interests...safely.
The Society conducts two major forays a year, and tries to do a number of "informal" ones, so-called mini-forays, announced in short period of time or just groups calling each other and getting together when fruitings of choice edibles or large flushes of fungi occur. The two "major" forays, however, occur once during the summer months and again in the late fall. A newsletter is published four times a year to inform members of upcoming events, reviews and topics of interest.