Mycoforestry

[Ethan Tapper]

For those of you interested in the symbiotic relationship of fungi and trees/plants, here is a video by a guy (Paul Stamets), a mycologist (fungi scientist) who really knows what he is talking about. Courtesy of TED talks (ted.com). The whole thing isn’t strictly related to forests, but it got me interested in the fungi that make our natural communities function in the way that they do.

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/paul_stamets_on_6_ways_mushrooms_can_save_the_world.html

I am currently reading Stamets’ book, Mycelium Running, which describes in detail all sorts of mind-blowing things about fungi, including mycorrhyzal (fungi associated symbiotically with plant roots) and endophytic (fungi associated with cells throughout a plant that help increase resistance to parasites) fungi, which are absolutely essential to plant, tree and forest health. Also discussed are saprophytic fungi, the fungi which break down rock and organic material, building soil and creating the means for any natural environment to exist, and fungal blights, which I think we all would like to understand better.

For people keenly interested in the way forests work (and how we can manage them in the way that is the most beneficial for them as whole communities) I think this stuff should be required reading/viewing. It sure makes me feel differently about the complexity of the woods, and makes me want to figure out ways to manage forests to increase the health of their fungal networks.

[Tim Harrigan]

This is good stuff, Ethan. Thanks for posting it.

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