Think of fungus – what comes to mind? Rotten, unhealthy infections perhaps? But what if I told you that fungi are incredible, beautiful and vital to our woodlands?
I went on a woodland walk with my mum. It was cold. Bitter wind pinched my face and I could barely feel my fingers. As I tucked my chin into my jacket collar to keep warm, I glanced down and noticed a striking cluster of mushrooms growing on a tree stump. Glossy and golden orange in colour, they reminded me of Alice in Wonderland.
I took a picture of my unusual discovery to research later – it was a velvet shank fungus. I found out that the velvet shank is often found on dead or decaying deciduous hardwood trees, like elm, beech or oak. Known as the winter mushroom, it’s one of the few mushrooms that can be seen throughout the winter months of November to February.
Fungi are incredibly important to ecosystems – they help recycle nutrients from dead or decaying plant life and provide food or shelter for wildlife. Some microscopic fungi grow underground – this is the mycorrhizal network or the “woodwide web”. These fungi help trees and plants access water and nutrients from the soil; in return, they provide the fungi with sugars produced during photosynthesis.
Next time you visit a woodland, as you wander through the trees and perhaps spot mushrooms, take a moment to appreciate the incredible work that fungi do to keep the whole woodland healthy.
Jenna, 12
• Read today’s other YCD piece, by Oliver: ‘Smashing the frozen river so the animals can drink’
• Young Country Diary runs every fourth Saturday of the month in the Country Diary column
