10 // COASTWEEKEND.COM King bolete mushrooms (Boletus edulis) from around Fort Stevens State Park sit on dis- play before a Wild Mushroom Hike. Fall is the right time for mushroom collecting on the North Coast lmost overnight, they pop up in the forests, along logging roads and in backyards: It’s mushroom time all along the Oregon Coast. Knowledgeable “mushroomers” grab their baskets and go collecting, visions of gigantic mushrooms and delectable feasts dancing in their heads. Can’t tell the difference between a shaggy mane and a shrimp russula? Fear not fi ne forager — the North Oregon Coast is brimming with masters of the fungal arts. Dane Osis has been an interpretive park ranger at Fort Stevens State Park for the past 12 years. He grew up on the Oregon Coast and learned to forage at a young age. As his hobby grew, he sought to share his interest in mushrooms with wider audiences. To that end, Osis originated his fi rst collecting program at Harris Beach State Park in Brookings and then implemented it at Fort Stevens. Where did the push to educate people on mushrooms come from? Continued on Pg. 11