Species of the Month

Douglas' Aster

October is the time for mushrooms, the Mushroom Festival is approaching, and fungi are springing to life throughout the Arboretum as deciduous trees and shrubs loose their leaves and annuals die back. But, at least one native wildflower species is still blooming in the Arboretum. Stroll along the lower road and you'll spot native asters in bloom. Our species of the month, the Douglas' aster (Symphyotrichum subspicatum), is one you'll be sure to see. Learn more about these Fall blooms and keep your eyes open in the Arboretum or around your neighborhood (there are quite a few blooming asters in front yards at the moment):

• Douglas' aster is a perennial in the family Asteraceae which includes daisies and sunflowers.
• It grows in wet forests, marshes, meadows, along stream banks, and in coastal areas throughout the Pacific Northwest.
• Douglas' asters vary greatly in size from one to four feet tall and one to three feet wide.
• Known for spreading quickly by their rhizomes.
• After fruiting, the stalks will dry out and stay standing for the Winter, providing habitat to insects.
• Their blooms are important late season resource for pollinators including bees, hummingbirds butterflies, and flies. They are also a host plant for some species of butterflies and moths.

Photo by Andrew Reding

Join us for the 2026 Mushroom Festival! Presented by Mount Pisgah Arboretum, Cascade Mycological Society, and Lane Community College on Sunday, October 25th 10 AM to 5 PM.

The Festival will feature hundreds of fantastic fungi on display, mushroom walks with local experts, live music, fresh apple cider, hayrides, a scarecrow contest, craft vendors, kids activities, community organizations, and delicious treats (with and without mushrooms)!

Arboretum members always get free Festival admission, become a member anytime before the festival and get in free.

We are simplifying Festival admissions for members this year. Arboretum members will no longer need to claim tickets online, instead, we will check you in at the Festival entrance. Check your email for more information about this change. Please reach out if you have any questions.

Volunteer at the Mushroom Festival and get free admission, a commemorative poster, and be a part of our incredible community who makes these events possible.

Parking Lot Paving is Underway

Lane County Parks is well underway with their major parking lot improvements which include paving, installing accessible parking, new walkways, and a bus loading zone.

Construction is planned through October. Paving will be done in stages, so parking will remain open throughout construction as it is safe and available, but parking spots are limited and open parking is shifting frequently. We will continue sharing more details of the project and the construction timeline as information is available.

Questions can be directed to Lane County Parks at 541-682-2000

Upcoming Nature Tours

All guided tours start at the Mount Pisgah Arboretum Education Building. Pre-registration is required. Members and kids under 4 are FREE, Non-Members $5 per person.

Mindful Meandering

Sunday, October 4th 9:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Join Julia Siporin for a 2.5-hour Awake in the Wild retreat at Mount Pisgah Arboretum. Through guided meditation, silent walking, and simple sensory awareness practices, you’ll have space to settle, listen, and reconnect with yourself and the living world around you.

Wonderful World of Trees Tour

Saturday, October 10th 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Bryan Ribelin can often be found around Mount Pisgah Arboretum taking photographs or making careful observations of whatever captures his interest. He then shares his findings on his blog, which is a wonderful resource for anyone interested in local ecology. Join Bryan to take a closer look at the trees of the Arboretum as well as the many organisms that interact with them. 

October Bird Tour

Sunday, October 11th 8:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Join Mieko Aoki and Julia Siporin for their monthly bird tour intended for people with all levels of birding experience. We’ll use vocalizations, habitat, and behavior clues for identification of our year-round residents and fall migrants. Come discover the Arboretum’s avian diversity!

Fall Ecology Tour

Sunday, October 11th 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Join Nature Guide Barb Stevens-Newcomb for a fall-themed tour. Together we will stroll the trails of the Arboretum exploring various habitats & their unique features during this seasonal shift.

The Art of Decay: Grief, Transformation, & Native Plants Workshop

Saturday, September 22nd 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM



Designed for all experience levels, this 2-hour gathering bridges native ecology, grief-informed practice, and creative expression. Together, we will explore how local ecosystems embrace shedding, dormancy, and decay to nourish future growth—offering a gentle lens to reflect on personal themes of change, loss, and belonging. Leave with a restored connection to the land, a unique seasonal artwork, and a deeper appreciation for the beauty found in life’s quiet transitions. 

Weekly Office Volunteering!

Every Wednesday 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Come by the Arboretum on Wednesday afternoons to help with office tasks like mailing and prepping materials. 

No experience is required to volunteer. We will provide you with a parking pass. Volunteers should be comfortable with repetitive tasks and writing.

Upcoming Work Parties

Become a steward of the Arboretum by helping us improve and maintain our facilities and habitat during our Work Parties! 

During Work Parties, volunteers help us keep our trails, facilities, and park clean, accessible, and beautiful! No experience is required to volunteer on these days, and we will provide tools, gloves, and a parking pass. 

All work parties meet at the bottom of the parking lot near the shop. 

Tuesday Tenders Weekly Work Parties

Every Tuesday 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Help us care for the Arboretum and keep trail conditions good! At these weekly work parties, volunteers tackle tasks like light weeding, vegetation management along trails, mulching, watering plantings, and more. One Tuesday Work Party per month will now focus on maintaining our memorial garden.

Jette Trail Work Party

Saturday, October 17th 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Come out and help us keep up the upper Jette Trail, we will be doing tread work, laying gravel, and replacing some small foot bridges. 

Get Involved

Want to make a difference in other ways? We are always looking for nature guides, trail stewards, park ambassador volunteers, and many other roles. Let's talk about how you can get involved with the Arboretum.

Learn more about some of the opportunities here.

Enter the Mushroom Festival's Scarecrow Contest

Make the Mushroom Festival a little spookier (or sillier) with your very best scarecrow.

Festival attendees will vote on the best scarecrows and winners will be announced at the end of the Festival.

Competition Categories:

Hay-larious (Funniest)

Most Likely to Scare a Crow (Scariest)

Pick of the Pump-Kid Patch (Youth ages 12 and under)

Out-Standing-in-its-Field (Best overall)

Competitors set up the Saturday before the Festival. Contestants get free entry to the Festival. To enter, email education@mountpisgaharboretum.org.

And remember, have a gourd time!

In-Kind Wishlist

Straw Bales

We reuse straw bales year after year for our festival seating and many of our trusty bales have worn out. Contact us if you have spare straw bales and we can let you know where to drop them off. If you anticipate having extra straw bales in the future, please let us know.

Cardboard

We've used up our supply of cardboard and need more for mulching. Drop off extra cardboard outside our office.

Plastic Patio Chairs

Our supply of patio chairs for our festival booths is running low. Drop off used patio chairs at the Arboretum office.

Loppers

We are in need of additional loppers for vegetation management work parties. Drop off new or used loppers to the Arboretum office.

Recumbent Bike or Tractor Seats

Next Mushroom Festival will feature a pedal-powered cider press and we need seats for it! Drop off seats from tractors or recumbent bikes at the Arboretum office.

Read our Fall Tree Time Newsletter

Learn more about the 2026 Mushroom Festival's featured species and what we've been up to around the Arboretum this Summer.