Pan American Aerobiology Conference

Pan American Aerobiology Conference Open house 3-5pm Saturday Aug 27 at the Eldridge Research Station. Drop by to see how air is sampled and how pollen, molds, and other particles are identified through the microscope. This is a chance to ask the gathered scientists about allergies, moldy basements, and migrating plant diseases.
 
Mary Banning’s Mushrooms 7PM Saturday August 27 at the Eldridge Research Station. If you missed this performance several years ago, this is your chance to see the reenactment of the scientific and personal exchange between a nineteenth century Albany Botanist and a Victorian Maryland artist with Bill and Nora Logan acting the parts.

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The Pan American Aerobiological Association is an international group of mycologists, botanists, meteorologists, allergists, laboratory analysts, and building investigators who study airborne particles. The small gathering at the Huyck preserve is a combination of scientific meeting, information exchange, and workshop. The emphasis of this meeting is to examine local air samples and search the area for the source of the particles which will mostly be fungus spores. This exercise is a little like being given random seeds without knowing which plants they come from, except that spores are a lot smaller and less well known. These field meetings have been known as “spore camps”, and it is not the first time the group has convened in Rensselaerville. (For more information about aerobiology and the organization, google “Pan American Aerobiology Association”)

Mary Banning (1822-1903) was a talented artist from Maryland who’s duty in life was to care for her mother and older sisters as they aged. To compensate for this sad task, she developed a consuming interest in natural history and particularly in the mushrooms of her native state. In this, she was a pioneer as there was very little literature, or few colleagues to guide her. The exception was Dr. Charles Peck (1833-1917) of the New York State Museum in Albany. An exchange of letters, tentative at first, between the two persisted for more than twenty years. Part of this exchange were drawings and specimens from Ms. Banning, most of which, including the letters, are still preserved at the museum in Albany. For several decades of this activity Banning made full size gouache or watercolor drawings on fine artist board. One hundred and seventy five fine paintings, together with hand written descriptions and text were bound into a volume that was eventually donated to Dr. Peck at the New York State Museum. (For more information Google “Mary Banning mushrooms” or “Dr. Charles Peck mycologist”) ​​