FungiPlant SystemsSoil BiologySoil CompositionSoil ConservationSoil Erosion & ContaminationSoil RehabilitationStructure

Six Ways to Save the Planet with Mushrooms – Paul Stamets

No, we’re not talking about your average portobello mushroom here, found on pizzas the world over. The topic of this discussion is:

mycelium noun the white threadlike mass of filaments forming the vegetative part of a fungus

Whilst sounding tiny in both size and significance, it is not:

Is this the largest organism in the world? This 2,400-acre (9.7 km2) site in eastern Oregon had a contiguous growth of mycelium before logging roads cut through it. Estimated at 1,665 football fields in size and 2,200 years old, this one fungus has killed the forest above it several times over, and in so doing has built deeper soil layers that allow the growth of ever-larger stands of trees. Mushroom-forming forest fungi are unique in that their mycelial mats can achieve such massive proportions. – Paul Stamets, Mycelium Running

Watch the clip to learn more about these fascinating fungi – organisms totally ignored by industrial agriculture, but which are incredible allies as we seek to decontaminate and restore soils and other habitat.

Duration: 00:18:18

9 Comments

  1. Fascinating talk.
    Is there anyone in Australia offering similar products to those offered by Fungi Perfecti in the US??

  2. Hi Craig, good to see Paul getting some face time on this site, you might want to consider adding Michael Pollan’s good talk at TED a couple of years back. He gave a great example of Polyface Farm, a broadacre farm in Virginia. Go to TED.com and type in Pollan in the search bar.
    cheers
    Pete

  3. Wow! I love how we keep finding out that the ‘poor relations’ are actually the mothers and saviours of us all. Fantastic

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