[Human]

Essay by John Liu

http://permaculturenews.org/2012/11/17/finding-sustainability-in-ecosystem-restoration/#more-8725


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[Ibon]

A good news post but one that must be objectively considered.

A great post in demonstrating what restoration can take place when there is money and resources. A great post in demonstrating resiliency of bio regions to heal.

On the other hand one must be cautious in applying the China success to a country like Mali which the author suggests.

Japan preserved its forests while it exploited and imported timber from other Southeast Asian countries especially during the boom expansion era of Japan's industrialization post WWII

China is just doing the same here. Flush with cash the central government is protecting and restoring a heritage site with an ambitious and virtuous reforestation while at the same time the underlying capitalist system continues like a mega giant hoover vaccuum cleaner to continue to suck in resources from around the planet.

So this story is good but does not in any way propose any mechanism for pricing ecosystem functionality, and without that it would appear to be another environmental effort at the margins of capitalism rather than a game changer.

[autonomous]

I am currently applying mycorestoration to the watershed habitat I live in.


http://www.amazon.com/Mycelium-Running-Mushrooms-World-ebook/dp/B004GTLKEG/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1

Paul Stamets' thirty years of experience in "engaging fungi", his original theories and research will reveal a world that many of us never knew existed. He calls Mycelium Running "A mycological manual for rescuing ecosystems". It is mycelium's vast structural network that is responsible for decomposing plant debris, at the same time providing nutrients to the plant and animal kingdoms. In other words, mycelium is earth's life support system and should be understood, respected and protected as such.

The text illustrates how we can use mycelium on farms, in our own urban and suburban environments, in watershed districts, in factories, on roads and other stressed habitats to filter protozoa, bacteria, viruses, bacteria, silt and chemical toxins.

In Mycorestoration the author presents his original thought, theories and research into how mycelium and their fruit, mushrooms, can be harnessed for uses that support the health of humans and our ailing planet. Mycorestoration is defined as the selective use of fungi to repair or restore the weakened immune systems of environments. The goal of mycorestoration is to match fungi species to contaminants to enable the "destruction of toxins that enable other restoration strategies".

These original concepts are presented in four forms: Mycofiltration, Mycoforestry,Mycoremediation and Mycopesticides.

Mycofiltration uses mycelium as a membrane to catch and filter upstream contaminants including microorganisms, pollutants and silt. Talk about filtration capacity, Mr. Stamets says that "more than a mile of mycelial cells can infuse a gram of soil". Mycelial mats, called "bunker spawn" mature in months and can be used for years to prevent downstream pollution. Mr. Stamets discusses his own research in microfiltration and presents directions for building and installing mycelium microfilters.

Mycoforestry is the use of fungi to sustain forest communities by preserving natural forests, recycling woodland debris, sustaining replanted trees with the goal of strengthening the forest ecosystem. Mr. Stamets emphasizes that contrary to conventional thought our forests are not "renewable" resources and discusses how carbon cycles that fuel the food chain can take centuries, if not thousands of years to establish. For example, in Oregon a honey mushroom mat found on a mountaintop covered over 2400 acres and is thought to be about 2200 years old.

Mycoremediation is the use of fungi to degrade or remove toxins from the environment. According to the author fungi can be used to degrade heavy metals including lead, and mercury, industrial toxins including chlorine, dioxin, PCBs and organophosphates. This potential is viewed in the perspective of the hierarchy of organisms in the fungi, plant, bacterium and animal kingdoms, a hierarchy which begins and ends with fungi.

Mycopesticides involve the use of fungi to control pest populations, including carpenter ants and termites. Mr. Stamets relates a personal story of how he used mycelium as a natural pesticide to rid his house of carpenter ants.

http://www.naturalnews.com/022797_mushrooms_mycelium_health.html#ixzz2CVyL2DrP