Forestry England, responsible for managing England’s publicly owned forests, has transplanted mycorrhizal fungi from ancient woodland to a newly planted site in North Yorkshire, in the hope that the procedure will restore species crucial for healthy soil and tree growth. “The aim of the project is to try and create not just trees on that new woodland creation site, but create a whole woodland ecosystem,” says Andrew Stringer, head of environment at Forestry England.
Mycorrhizal fungi form a symbiotic relationship with trees and can help protect them against pests and disease. During times of drought, they also help the trees access water sources lower in the ground that their roots can’t get to.
The Forestry England team will use environmental DNA techniques to monitor fungi biodiversity. It may be many years before the fungi species are established, but, if successful, these methods could be rolled out across more sites.
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