Fungi Tech to Restore Environmental Balance

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Fungi Tech to Restore Environmental Balance

Beloved India is currently in a state of massive environmental degradation.

Natural

technologies is the solution. Below is an example of mushrooms being used to

restore

environmental balance.

 

MYCOFILTRATION:

A NOVEL APPROACH FOR THE BIO-TRANSFORMATION

OF ABANDONED LOGGING ROADS

by

 

Paul Stamets, Inventor & David Sumerlin, Project Manager

http://fungiperfecti.com/mycotech/roadrestoration.html

 

The Problem: Logging road networks such as this site in Northern California

channel silt

into salmon streams and impedes habitat restoration. Such roads are slow to

recover.

(Amaranthus & Trappe, 1993.)

 

 

(Several concepts, techniques, & products described herein are currently

protected by

pending patents

and copyrights of Paul Stamets, who reserves all rights.)

 

For every mile of paved road in Washington State, there are more than 7 miles of

unpaved

roads. Washington State budgeted $165,000 in 2001 for the decommissioning of

roads. In

contrast, in 1999, the Forest Service budgeted $25,000,000 for federal lands.

 

"Our number one water quality problem in the National Forests is roads."

 

–Under Secretary of

Agriculture Jim Lyons, 2000

 

Thousands of miles of logging roads channel run-off from uplands, silting salmon

spawning streams, dramatically reducing their reproductive habitats. The

deactivation of

logging roads poses a unique and heretofore poorly understood process. What is

known is

that the run-off of water from rains causes massive environmental havoc in the

form of

erosion, removing life-sustaining top soils, causing sedimentation and siltation

inflows

into downstream watersheds.

 

With each successive tree-crop cycle, environments lose topsoils, slowing

ecological

recovery. In the not-too-distant future, as Washington State forests face 3rd,

4th, and

soon 5th growth forests, the impact of thinning soils becomes more severe.

Unless the

depletion of the nutritional topsoil bank is addressed, the future economic

return from

Washington State forests is increasingly jeopardized by current practices.

Washington

State is not alone. The problem of roads causing ecological damage is

universally shared

throughout the world.

 

For every mile of paved road in Washington State, there are more than 7 miles of

unpaved

roads. Washington State budgeted $165,000 in 2001 for the decommissioning of

roads. In

contrast, in 1999, the Forest Service budgeted $25,000,000 for federal lands.

Increasingly

state and federal governments have targeted roads as the primary vector of

siltation and

pollution to watersheds and sensitive ecosystems. Estimates for deactivating

roads range

from $4100 to $15,500 for every mile (Garrity, 1995) in the Northern Rockies to

$21,000

to $105,600 per mile in the Olympics and Cascades. (Seaburg, 2001). The cost of

building

a road in Washington State is estimated at $600-2000 per hundred feet, or

approximately

$32,000+ per mile. The cost of destroying or building a road, using current

methods, is

roughly within the same range. As there is little precedent for an acceptable

standard of

decimation, restoration experts can benefit by adapting to mycofiltration

delivery systems.

 

We propose a new approach. The intention herein is to take the first steps in

addressing a

simple solution to a complex field of problems. When the full costs are taken

into

consideration, ecologically (i.e. forests & fish ecology), economically (lumber,

road

construction, access), and aesthetically, mycofiltration is worthy of serious

consideration.

What we propose is simple yet highly effective.

 

Place 'hog-fuel' (bark and wood chips) onto logging roads, and inoculate this

wood debris

with mycelia of a mosaic of keystone native fungal species. The fungified wood

chips

prevent silt-flow through the natural filtration properties of their mycelial

networks, and in

the process renew topsoils, spurring the growth of native flora and fauna.

 

 

Scanning Electron Micrograph of Mycelium, magnified 500 X (P. Stamets)

This concept, coined by Stamets as 'mycofiltration' has gained significant

attention by the

Battelle Marine Science Laboratories in Sequim, Washington, and was funded by

more than

$300,000 in research money. The beneficial properties of using fungal mycelium

have

been well established. (Stamets et al., 1999). The use of buffers to ameliorate

the impact

of nitrates, pesticides and hydrocarbons is now being recommended to control

pollution

vectors. (Straight, 2000; Bagdon, 2000). The use of wood chips applied to road

surfaces

has demonstrated a positive impact on reducing sedimentation. (Hickenbottom,

2000;

Madej, 2000; Prescott, 2001).

 

 

A solution? Or a bad idea made worse? What is the best way to deactivate an old

logging

road? This 'Terra Interruptus' approach: expensive, burdensome, invasive,

destructive,

erosive and nearly impassable.

The building of roads and the resultant compaction creates an environment absent

in

mycorrhizal fungi (Amaranthus & Trappe, 1993; Amaranthus 1996), hindering

recovery of

native flora, and thus habitat restoration. Should a new forest practices model

be

established which would provide a value-added incentive for the woods product

industry

to leave or return this waste-wood back to the lands from which they came; many

problems could be addressed with one practical solution. Such an approach has

been

explored in British Columbia, which has modeled a decision-making tree for

evaluating

sites. (Allison & Tait, 2000).

 

The novelty of mycofiltration is the purposeful introduction of fungi,

saprophytic and

mycorrhizal, to the wood chip buffers, enhancing effectiveness by accelerating

decomposition. Spores infused into chain-saw bar oil or into the lubricating oil

for

chippers expose the wood immediately upon cutting to fungi that can begin the

decomposition sequence. Or once in place, spores or spawn can be broadcasted

onto the

chipped wood as shown. In either case, accelerating the sequence of

decomposition is

essential for habitat evolution. Our method jump-starts the process of recovery,

allowing

nature to steer the course of species succession after inoculation. The benefits

become

soon apparent after application.

 

The advantages of using mycofiltration mats upon logging roads compared to the

use of

heavy equipment to achieve the tank-trap, scarification or 'terra interruptus'

approach are

listed below.

 

Advantages of Mycofiltration

vs.

Conventional Road Decommissioning

 

Sediment containment

–reduction of siltation/erosion into streams protecting spawning grounds &

fisheries

 

Moisture enhancement

–restoration of aquifer function (allowing subsurface sheet flows of water)

–re-moistening of arid landscapes

 

Habitat recovery & Enhancement

–re-establishing native mycoflora (mycorrhizae & saprophytic, soil building)

 

Reduction/elimination of Hydrocarbon contamination

–reduction of diesel, oil, herbicides, pesticides, & other pollutants

 

Reduction/elimination of damaging downstream microorganisms

–mycofiltration of coliform bacterial, E. coli, Pfisteria, & protozoa

 

Temperature reduction

–cooling of water flowing into streams benefiting fisheries & marine systems

 

Minimal disturbance

–low impact on existing & adjacent ecosystems

 

Subsurface penetration by mycelium

–Subsurface growth of mycelium allows for mineral transport, aeration, without

siltation

flow

 

Aesthetic enhancement

–roads transformed into nature trails multi-use access

 

Educational showcase

–accessible educational showcase for habitat restoration

 

Bad bugs/Good bugs*

–breeding ground for grub for fish food chain

–mycopesticidal barriers for wood boring beetles & disease insects breeding

grounds for

beneficial bugs

 

Investment Protection

–road subsurface can be re-used in future at reduced cost compared to new

construction

 

Obviously, we cannot perpetually draw from the ecological bank of forestlands

without

returning nutrition back to the system. We urge the establishment of a team to

investigate

and propose the concept of mycofiltration within a new economic model that

synergistically combines the needs of Washington States' schools, timber

harvests,

fisheries, road reclamation, habitat recovery, and accessibility for

recreational use.

 

Although Fungi Perfecti LLC is a small company, we have sufficient experience to

launch

this concept at several test sites. However, we lack the economic muscle to do

so beyond a

few demonstrations. Deactivation of roads is also a concern for arid lands,

especially those

bordering rivers, which also benefit from habitat buffers. (Bagley, 1999.) No

matter what

the location, we can utilize native species of fungi to help Nature recover.

 

*Research by Stamets shows that beneficial insects, such as Phorid flies can be

attracted to

certain mycelia. Phorid flies are a known predator of fire ants (Solenopsis

invicta). Mycelia

emit a fragrance that can attract Phorid flies from afar, concentrating them,

and thus

directing them to fire ant target colonies. This is but one example of

potentially hundreds

of pairings described in patents, approved and pending, by Stamets. See U.S.

Patent

pending serial #: 09/678,141 at http://ww.uspto.gov.

 

 

 

Tahuya State Forest Reclamation Test Site

 

Tahuya State Forest is located on the southern Kitsap peninsula in Washington

State. It is a

23,100-acre multi-use forest available to hikers, motorcyclists, bicyclists and

horses. This

is a working forest with revenue from it goes to fund the Mason county school

system.

 

We contacted the Department of Natural Resources to explore whether or not they

were

interested in projects using fungi as keystone species for reclamation. Phil

Wolff, the SEPA

contact person for this district directed us to the study sites within Tahuya

State Forest,

directly outside of Belfair.

 

The road has been blocked to limit use, as DNR is conducting a salmon stream

rehabilitation project along the bottom of the road. On one reclaimed site,

grass seed was

sown directly on the bare soil along the same salmon stream. In seven years the

site has

been slow to recover with a thin layering of grass. The habitat lacks biological

diversity,

has very little soil, no under-canopy, and the rate of recovery has been

exceedingly slow.

The following photograph clearly demonstrates the problem: the run-off is

saturated with

silt that directly runs into the salmon spawning grounds of the Tahuya River.

 

 

Silt-saturated run-off photographed during a rain event at the test site prior

to application

of mycomats.

DNR allocated a swath of upland road destined for habitat recovery above

aforementioned

salmon habitat. Our project is a hundred yards from the grass-remediated site

and two

hundred from the costly and labor-intensive 'Terra Interruptus' destructive

reclamation

site. Our portion of the reclamation area is a 500-foot stretch of road on a

hill that

bottoms near the salmon stream. This section of roadway is still used for ORV

travel and

we were authorized to reclaim only half of the road to preserve access for

recreationally

users. Along this 500-ft section we set up three experimental zones for our

myco-

remediation trials. The lower section of the road has the greatest slope and the

most

erosion potential. The middle section of the road was fairly wide (30 ft.+) with

a sloping

bank. Our intention is to prevent further bank erosion as well as filter the

flow of silt-

enriched water. We arranged for the delivery of 'hog-fuel', a crude mixture of

bark, wood

chips, and fir needles, in 10-yard loads. North Mason Fiber donated the hog fuel

while

Fungi Perfecti paid for the trucking. Seven employees donated their time to

spread

material. The crew ('Team MycoForce') spread the wood chip matrix to a depth of

3 to 12

inches. After the hog-fuel was spread, we applied spawn of a native mushroom

species,

the Oyster Mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus, on the top surface of the hog-fuel.

Six bales of

wheat straw were spread out over the top.

 

 

Overlaying wood chips with wheat straw, after inoculation with mycelia. Note

active

siltation flow on right road surface.

The straw acts as a protective layer, holding in moisture and preventing the

spawn from

drying out. We seeded the sites using a broadcaster filled with Mycogrow™, a

mycorrhizal

inoculum, and Regreen®, a non-seeding wheat approved for erosion control. Twenty

pounds of seed and one pound of mycelial inoculum were broadcast over the straw.

This

site was inoculated over two days on the 11th and 12th of April, at the time of

intermittent, heavy rainfall.

 

In one week, upon returning to the site, we found the habitat was in its first

stages of

growth. Seeds of Regreen® were starting to sprout and mushrooms were seen

fruiting

from the spawn we introduced. We selected the Oyster Mushroom, Pleurotus

ostreatus, as

our keystone species, a primary saprophyte, known for its aggressiveness, and

adaptability for growing under a variety of conditions and temperatures. Future

installations will be using a matrix of white rot, brown rot, and diverse

mycorrhizal

species. No parasitic species are contemplated.

 

 

Pleurotus ostreatus, the Oyster Mushroom, fruiting from mycoblanket four weeks

after

overlaid upon road surface at the Tahuya site.

As the mushrooms grow to maturity, spores are released, further inoculating the

surrounding hog fuel and straw, giving rise to more mycelium and further

colonizing the

substrate. As the mycelium permeates the wood substrate, moisture retention is

enhanced. The mushrooms also act as an attractant to native insects. The rotting

mushrooms become a breeding ground for fly larvae and grub, which, in turn,

further

enrich the salmon stream ecosystem. Once a mycofiltration habitat is

constructed, a

domino effect of ecological recovery unfolds, and Nature guides its future

course.

 

In the fall, native ferns will be harvested nearby and dressed upon the

mycofiltration beds,

leading to visible growth the next year. As the wheat straw climaxes and dies,

and as the

wood chips decompose, a rich soil is created, further nurturing the recovery of

native

species. After several years, a mantle of mycelium forms at the wood chip/gravel

interface

(See below). This sheath of mycelium overlays and hold the gravel together,

furthering

adding structural resilience to the road's subsurface.

 

 

After three years, an inspection of the reclaimed road showed a mantle of nearly

contiguous mycelium at the wood chip/gravel interface, holding the sub-moraine

together. One hypothesis is that the mycelium became resident in this zone,

feeding upon

the sheet flow of nutrified water along this interface. This photo shows an

overturned rock

which had beneath it a bed of mycelium. This sheath of mycelium extended for

meters in

all directions, securing the gravel in its grip.

For every 10 inches of wood chips, we estimate the creation, after 4 years, of

1-2 inches

of soil. In the meanwhile, once ugly roads, the source of numerous economic and

ecological problems, are transformed into green, foot-friendly pathways usable

to both

humans, fauna, flora and fungi. This approach is simple, direct, and directly

applicable,

especially where forests are being thinned from selective logging. However, only

if

mycorestoration succeeds economically, will there be any possibility of wide

scale use on

government and private lands. We ask your support in investigating

mycofiltration as a

new best management strategy for long-term sustainability of our forestlands. We

believe

placing myco-blankets well serves the best interests of the people and the

environment.

Our services are available to help move this concept forward.

 

 

5 weeks after installation, the habitat re-greens in the wood chip beds. The

habitat is in an

active state of recovery, and becomes a naturally cooler & moister environment.

The grass

will draw in moisture through atmospheric condensation and, in doing so, aids

mycelial

growth. The beds are 'foot friendly' environments, being a cushion of wood chips

up to 12

inches thick.

 

Mycomatting to the edge of roads creates a filtration interface, preventing

rivulation and

ameliorating erosion forces.

On-Going Restoration Projects Which Could Benefit From Mycofiltration

 

Nature Conservancy http://www.mycorrhiza.org/tenaja.htm

Tenaja Restoration Project Rancho California Road, Tenaja, Santa Rosa Plateau,

California.

 

University of British Columbia, Science Council of British Columbia. C. Prescott

Project:

Rehabilitation of Forest Roads and Landings with Wood Waste

 

Pertinent References on Road De-Activation

 

Allison, C. & D. Tait, 2000. "The Application of Decision Analysis to Forest

Road

Deactivation Problems - an Example in Coastal British Columbia" Streamline:

Watershed

Restoration Technical Bulletin Vol. 5; no. 2 pgs. 1-11.

 

Amaranthus, M. & J. Trappe, 1993. "Effects of erosion on ecto- and

VA-mycorrhizal

inoculum potential of soil following forest fire in southwest Oregon. Plant &

Soil 150:

41-49.

 

Bagley, S. 1999. "Desert Road Removal: Creative Restoration Techniques" from

Road RIP-

Porter 4.4.

 

Hickenbottom, J. A.S., 2000. "Comparison of Sediment Generation from Existing

and

Recontoured Forest Service Road" USDA Forest Service, Lolo National Forest,

Missoula, Mt.

http://www.ibscore.dbs.umt.edu/abstracts/symposiumposters.htm

 

Madej, M.A., 2000. "Effectiveness of Road Restoration in Reducing Sediment

Loads"

Western Ecological Research Center.

http://www.werc.usgs.gov/redwood/restoration.htm

 

Prescott, C., 2001. "Rehabilitation of Forest Roads and Landings with Wood

Waste"

University of British Columbia, Science Council of British Columbia.

 

Straight, R., 2001. "Getting buffers on the ground: a group effort" Inside

Agroforestry 3,

pp. 1-7. National Agroforestry Center, East Campus-UNL, Lincoln, Nebraska

68583-0822.

USDA

 

Stamets, P., 1993. "Mycofiltration of gray water run-off utilizing Stropharia

rugosoannulata, a white rot fungus." Research Project awarded a grant by the

Mason

County Water Conservation District, Shelton,Washington.

 

_____, 2001. "A novel approach to farm waste management". Mushroom, the Journal

70:

vol. 19, no. 1:21-22.

 

______, 2003. Mycoattractants & Mycopesticides: U.S. Patent pending Serial #:

09/678,141.

Approved 8/2003. Issuance numbers imminent.

 

Copyright by Paul Stamets

PO Box 7634 • Olympia, Wa. 98507

 

Ad-hoc Mycofiltration Team Leaders:

 

Jack Word

Bob Sagar

Michael Garling

This retired logging road is now a foot friendly path attractive to wildlife and

humans

alike, and slowly narrows with encroaching vegetation over time.

 

http://fungiperfecti.com/mycotech/roadrestoration.html