22/06/2026
It’s World Rainforest Day, we’re focusing on something less visible - the fungi living beneath our feet.
Earlier this year, we collected soil samples across the upland landscape at Wild Haweswater to understand which Mycorrhizal Fungi are present and where they might be missing.
These remarkable fungal networks form partnerships with tree roots, helping trees access the nutrients and water they need to thrive.
We’re now entering the next phase of the project: growing native Oak seedlings and testing whether introducing Mycorrhizal communities from our local temperate rainforest can improve their establishment and growth.
By comparing different treatments, we’ll be able to see whether these underground partnerships make a measurable difference to tree survival and resilience.
If we’re going to create healthy, resilient woodlands across our local landscape, we need to understand not only what’s happening above ground, but below ground too.
These fungi could be a missing piece of the restoration puzzle.
