{"id":63582,"date":"2023-10-22T11:08:25","date_gmt":"2023-10-22T15:08:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/?p=63582"},"modified":"2023-10-22T11:10:24","modified_gmt":"2023-10-22T15:10:24","slug":"63582","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/outdoors\/63582\/","title":{"rendered":"The Wild Truth: Hidden Wonder"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"

Fungal mycelium on surface of a tree trunk.<\/p><\/div>\n

The Wood Wide Web<\/h2>\n

By Winslow Umberger<\/p>\n

One of the joys of walking in the woods is spying a mushroom, its cap a riotous burst of color seemingly squeezed from Earth\u2019s paint box. Or, better yet, happening upon a group of these tiny parasols parading across the forest floor. These delights are the fruiting bodies of mushrooms\u2014nature\u2019s own exclamation point, a punctuation mark boldly announcing the presence of an intricate web called the mycelial network that lies hidden beneath our feet.<\/p>\n

Beneath these spongy crowns lies a web of filament that mesh for miles connecting forests, grasslands and ecosystems. These webs, called mycelium, are composed of super-tiny threads called hyphae which grow and extend in all directions. This serves as the fungus\u2019 \u201croot system,\u201d allowing it to gather nutrients and interact with its environment.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Coral fungi. Photo by Winslow Umberger<\/p><\/div>\n

However, the importance of the fungal network is largely unknown by most and often misunderstood. As author and biologist Merlin Sheldrake points out in his bestselling book Entangled Life, \u201cFungi are far more useful and intelligent than we ever thought.\u201d Ninety percent of plant species depend on fungi in some way to survive or to function\u2014be it sharing nutrients, disease control or communicating between different plant species.<\/p>\n

Often referred to as the \u201cWood Wide Web,\u201d these networks \u201cspeak to each other with mind-boggling complexity via electrical impulses,\u201d Sheldrake explains. \u201cA mother tree can utilize these to warn its sapling against drought and pests.\u201d It\u2019s like plants have their own secret language underground, and scientists are working hard to understand it better.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, fungi are more closely related to humans than plants because fungi don\u2019t photosynthesize. Not only do humans and fungi both use a communications system, they both need to eat to get their energy. Both change and adapt to their surroundings when things around them change. Humans now recycle, but fungi, nature\u2019s clean-up crew, have always done it, breaking down dead plants and animals and turning them into nutrients.<\/p>\n

It is safe to say that comparatively few people even know about the mycelial network, let alone its importance to the planet. But that\u2019s changing\u2014this underground world is beginning to see the light of day. It has caught the attention of the marketplace. This is largely due to the way it grows. Wherever there is dead organic matter, fungi will grow. Its spores germinate, grow and spread, weaving an intricate network of hyphae binding particles together. This \u201cmycelial mat\u201d is being utilized as an eco-friendly material for uses across different industries.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Puffball-in-Aspic. Photo by Winslow Umberger<\/p><\/div>\n

Take Ecovative Design based in Green Island, NY. Ecovative uses mycelium to grow environmentally friendly materials such as biodegradable packaging, furniture, building materials and mycelium leather. In 2020, IKEA replaced its Styrofoam packing with mushroom packaging which decomposes within a few short weeks. Fashion designer Stella McCartney recently created the first-ever mushroom leather bag.<\/p>\n

Evidence of this magical network abounds in the forests of Western North Carolina, particularly after periods of soaking rain. The \u201cevidence\u201d can be found in those mystical messengers sent up from below, which come in many shapes, sizes and hues. Enjoying them for enjoyment\u2019s sake is fine, but walking the woods with a knowledgeable mycologist will deepen your appreciation of these whimsical treasures. Wild Goods (WildGoods.org) or No Taste Like Home (NoTasteLikeHome.org) offer foraging forays into the forest, and the Asheville Mushroom Club (AshevilleMushroomClub.org) offers a range of courses.<\/p>\n

The next time you walk the woods, consider this unseen network, threading through the earth like an intricate tapestry, fostering connections among the forest\u2019s inhabitants, providing life and nourishment. Nature never ceases to amaze whenever we pause to explore.<\/p>\n

Winslow Umberger is an outreach volunteer with Appalachian Wildlife Refuge, a nonprofit working to save injured and orphaned wildlife in WNC. Found an animal? Call 828.633.6364. To help, donate at AppalachianWild.org<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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