Symbiosis and synergy: Can mushrooms and timber be managed together?

Abstract

Recreational and tribal use of mushrooms has been historically important, and during the last two decades, commercial demand for mushrooms has burgeoned. A large nontimber forest product market in the Pacific Northwest is for various species of wild edible mushrooms. Many of these species grow symbiotically with forest trees by forming nutrient exchange structures called "mycorrhizae" on their root tips.

Managers are beginning to better understand the biology and ecology of some commercial mushroom species. Estimates of site productivity, silvicultural implications for mushroom yields, and regional price trends are being used to develop estimates of both timber and mushroom values given varying silvicultural regimes. Information from these studies can help land managers explore forestry methods to produce multiple products from the forest simultaneously.

Citation

Duncan, Sally. 2000. Symbiosis and synergy: Can mushrooms and timber be managed together?. Science Findings. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. October (28): 1-5