JAY — A workshop session on using mycoforestry practices to grow Chaga mushrooms in Maine forests is scheduled to take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 17, at Spruce Mountain High School, 33 Community Drive.
Nikki Leroux and Justin Triquet of JustNiks Mycosilva LLC will lead the workshop and explain how Chaga can be grown in Maine forests.
Chaga, a mushroom that grows on birch and other trees, is highly valued for its antioxidants and beneficial compounds. It can be consumed in tinctures and herbal tea as a dietary supplement. Consuming Chaga mushrooms as part of a healthy, balanced diet may help reduce stress, support the immune system and lower cholesterol, according to a news release from Rob Taylor with Spruce Mountain Envirothon Advisors.
The free workshop, open to the public, will begin in the concert entrance parking lot at the high school.
JustNiks Mycosilva cultivates Chaga in the forest, where it grows naturally by implanting small wooden Chaga plugs into a tree, like a seed. The plugs then develop into Chaga mushrooms that can be harvested five to seven years down the road. JustNiks Mycosilva partners with private and commercial landowners of all sizes with birch trees on their land to grow Chaga to meet the growing demand.
JustNiks Mycosilva is also exploring a partnership with Spruce Mountain High to create the world’s first school-based research Chaga farm. Working with Spruce Mountain Envirothon Advisors Taylor and Ken Baker and Spruce Mountain High students, JustNiks Mycosilva would provide the materials and technical assistance for the creation of a Chaga farm in the forest land owned by Regional School Unit 73 near the high school. Students could then gather data on a number of factors regarding the cultivation of Chaga, including measuring growth rates, testing the mushroom’s ability to grow on a variety of species, and measuring the impact of the mycoforestry practices on the forest ecosystem.
When the Chaga on school property is mature, JustNiks Mycosilva will buy back the Chaga from the school; the proceeds may be donated to RSU 73 to benefit science, technology, engineering and math programs.
No registration is required. The first part of the program will run from 6-6:45 p.m. and include a demonstration of how Chaga plugs are inserted in trees. Participants should wear outdoor clothing and be prepared for a brief walk in the woods. The session will be followed by a question-and-answer period.
Following both, anyone interested in learning more about a potential school-based Chaga research farm can attend a meeting in the Spruce Mountain High School cafeteria.
For more information, email Taylor at rtaylor@rsu73.com or visit justniksmycosilva.com.
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