How AMS handles your information.

01

Information we collect

The information AMS receives depends on how you interact with the society.

Membership information

When you join or maintain an AMS membership, we may receive information such as your name, email address, mailing address, telephone number, membership level, household or family membership information, renewal status, and other information you choose to provide.

Event registration

When you register for an AMS event, we may receive your name, contact information, membership status, guest information, registration selections, payment status, and information requested specifically for that event.

Mailing lists & newsletters

If you subscribe to mushroom alerts, newsletters, or another AMS mailing list, we collect the contact information needed to send those communications, usually your name and email address.

Donations & purchases

When you donate, pay membership dues, register for a paid event, or purchase something from AMS, we may receive your name, contact information, transaction amount, date, payment status, and related transaction records.

Payment-card information is processed through the payment services used by our website. AMS does not intentionally collect or store complete payment-card numbers in its ordinary organizational records.

Messages you send us

If you contact AMS by email, through a form, through social media, or by another communication method, we may retain your message and the information you provide so that we can respond and maintain appropriate organizational records.

Website information

Our website and the services that operate it may automatically collect routine technical information such as browser type, device information, IP address, pages visited, cookies, and similar website-use data.

02

How we use information

AMS uses personal information when reasonably necessary to operate the society and provide the activities, communications, and services people ask us to provide.

03

Email & communications

Optional newsletters and mushroom alerts

If you subscribe to an optional AMS mailing list, you may unsubscribe using the link included in those messages.

Membership and transactional messages

Unsubscribing from promotional or newsletter email does not necessarily stop communications needed to administer something you have requested from AMS.

For example, we may still need to send information about your membership, renewal, payment, event registration, event location or cancellation, account, donation, or another transaction involving you.

04

When information is shared

AMS does not sell or rent its membership, donor, subscriber, or participant lists to advertisers or unrelated organizations.

Information may, however, be made available in the following circumstances.

Service providers

We use outside providers to perform functions that AMS cannot reasonably operate by itself. These may include website hosting, membership administration, payment processing, email delivery, data storage, forms, and similar services.

Those providers receive the information necessary to perform their function and process that information under their own terms and privacy practices.

AMS volunteers & leadership

Board members, officers, foray leaders, event organizers, or other authorized volunteers may receive information when they need it to perform an AMS responsibility.

For example, an event organizer may need the names of registered participants, while the treasurer may need transaction records.

Legal requirements & protection

AMS may disclose information when reasonably necessary to comply with applicable law, legal process, a valid governmental request, or to protect the rights, property, safety, or legitimate interests of AMS, its members, participants, or others.

With your permission

We may also share information when you have asked us to do so or have otherwise given permission.

05

Services we rely on

AMS is a volunteer organization and uses established outside services rather than operating every part of its technology infrastructure directly.

06

Member information

Membership records are maintained for the purpose of administering AMS membership and society operations.

AMS does not treat its membership database as a commercial mailing list and does not sell member contact information.

Where member-directory or profile features are available through the website, the visibility of information may depend on the settings available in the membership system and selections made by the member.

07

Photographs & public events

AMS activities frequently involve field trips, meetings, classes, festivals, and other group events where photographs or video may be taken.

Images from AMS activities may be used to document society activities and may appear on the AMS website, newsletters, social media, educational materials, or event promotion.

If you have a specific concern about an identifiable photograph of yourself or your minor child published by AMS, contact us and we will review the request.

08

How long information is kept

AMS retains different kinds of information for different periods depending on why the information exists.

Some records may be removed when they are no longer reasonably useful, while financial, tax, governance, transaction, insurance, or other organizational records may need to be retained for longer periods.

AMS maintains a separate document-retention policy in its organizational bylaws.

09

Security

AMS takes reasonable steps to limit access to organizational information and uses established service providers for systems involving memberships, payments, email, and website operations.

No website, email account, database, or internet transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure. This policy should not be interpreted as a guarantee that unauthorized access, loss, or disclosure can never occur.

10

Children & family memberships

AMS welcomes families and offers activities in which children may participate with a parent, guardian, or responsible adult.

We do not intentionally use the website to solicit unnecessary personal information directly from young children. Information about minor participants should ordinarily be provided by a parent, guardian, or adult registering on their behalf.

11

Links to other websites

AMS frequently links to outside resources, scientific databases, social media, partner organizations, educational materials, registration tools, and other websites.

This privacy policy applies to AMS and does not govern websites or services operated independently by other organizations.

12

Your choices

Depending on your relationship with AMS, you may be able to update information through your member account, unsubscribe from optional mailing lists, or contact us directly about information associated with you.

13

Changes to this policy

AMS may revise this privacy policy as our website, programs, technology, or organizational practices change.

The current version will be posted on this page with its most recent update date.