Planet Fungi’s new documentary receives major funding support
The Big Scrub - an endangered ecosystem in Australia
One of the forests featured in Planet Fungi’s new documentary Follow the Rain, is Stephen and Catherine’s local - the lowland subtropical rainforest in north east NSW, Australia. It is a critically endangered ecosystem and very precious to these two fungi hunters.
“The early settlers called it the ‘Big Scrub’ such a dismissive term for this wonderfully biodiverse and beautiful forest” - Stephen Axford.
In this blog we introduce you to some of the stunning fungal types to watch our for in the Big Scrub.
Click the link above for a special sneak preview for Planet Fungi supporters.
It is a tiny extract of the “Big Scrub” sequence in FOLLOW THE RAIN.
Please note the music, colour grade and sound mix are draft only.
Fungi of the Big Scrub - click through to Big Scrub Foundation
The lowland subtropical rainforest is also very precious to two organisations who are the voice of this forest, the Big Scrub Foundation and the Big Scrub Rainforest Conservancy. Both these organisations restore and care for this critically endangered rainforest.
The Big Scrub Rainforest Conservancy (formerly Big Scrub Landcare) is one of the largest and most successful Landcare groups in Australia. They work with government, landholders and the community on rainforest restoration and ongoing care.
The Foundation is the sister organisation of Big Scrub Rainforest Conservancy. One of the Foundation’s primary goals is contributing to the funding of Big Scrub Rainforest Conservancy’s rainforest restoration projects.
Stephen and Catherine are extremely grateful to both organisations for supporting the work they do in raising awareness about the critical role fungi play in these forests.
The Big Scrub forests have never been properly surveyed for fungi and yet the forests would not exist without this Kingdom of Life.
Planet Fungi’s impact strategy will raise awareness about the need to survey the Big Scrub for fungi and it will support the restoration work of both Big Scrub Foundation and Big Scrub Rainforest Conservancy. Planet Fungi Productions will also be assisting these groups in getting the word out about some exciting new forest conservation initiatives.
The combined donation of $10,000, together with $20,000 donated by 252 individuals and organisations, has brought us within reach of our fundraising goal of $43,000.
Can you help us raise the final $13,000?
Every bit helps - large or small.
If you are from Australia or the US use the Documentary Australia link to make your donation tax deductible.
Here is a little taste of the fungal life
you might spot in the Big Scrub.
Cyptotrama aspratum is a very common fungus that grows on dead wood. It is one of the group of fungi called the recyclers of teh forest, or saprotrophic fungi. They break down the wood, leaf litter and even dead bodies – technically called the necromass. These fungi turn it all back into nutrient rich soil for the plants and other organisms.
This Laccari sp. is one of the many ectomycorrhizal fungi that can be found in the Big Scrub. Ectomycorrhizal fungi have a trading relationship with trees and we have observed the mushrooms of this species in profusion under Water Gums (Tristaniopsis laurina) and to a lesser extent under other rainforest trees.
There are of course parasitic fungi that attack plants but most of those live in a balance in a healthy forest. The parasitic fungi that we’ve become fascinated with are the entomopathogenic fungi. Many of you are probably familiar with the zombie ant that you can also find in the Big Scrub – where the fungus infects the ant, takes control of its nervous system, causes it to climb to a high branch on a tree, clamp on and die. The fungus sends up its fruiting body covered in spores and disperses from this perfect spot to spread them far and wide.
However, there are many battles like this happening on the underside of leaves on some of the rainforest trees, where flesh eating fungi kill spiders, flies, moths and the like. This helps keep the insect population in balance.
In FOLLOW THE RAIN we take you zombie fungus hunting with local citizen scientist Donovan Teal. We follow his finds into the laboratory where we explore some mind-boggling science and discover new species.
Help fund the FINAL POST-PRODUCTION on our new documentary.
Help fund the FINAL POST-PRODUCTION on our new documentary.
Lichen is a symbiosis between two or more fungal species and algae or Cynobactyeria. So, lichen is also classified as fungus. You’ll see it on trees, rocks, grave stones, fences. We’ve even seen it covering an old bus abandoned in a paddock. Lichen covers 6-8% of the earth’s land surface. It sequesters a huge amount of carbon, as does all those fungal threads in the soil. This Fruticose lichen was growing on a rainforest tree. The orange structures are the reproductive bodies.
Understanding how fungi capture carbon is critical to our understanding of the impact of climate change and could provide possible solutions.
WHY WE ARE MAKING FOLLOW THE RAIN
Did you know humans are only just starting to understand how important fungi are to life on our planet and how critical they are in protecting us from the impacts of climate change? Now we realise that without fungi, the world as we know it would not exist - forests would not exist, and we would not exist. The push is on to document as many species as possible, as fast as possible, and then to understand what they do in the ecosystem.
Raising awareness about fungi is critical to achieving that goal. Your contribution will assist in achieving that mission.
This feature documentary will be the ultimate showcase for the beauty and science of fungi. Our passion for fungi has had the most extraordinary outcomes, from discovering new species, to immersing ourselves in fascinating fungi science, to creating exquisite time-lapses of fungi growing.
We are going to share our world of fungi with you in a way that has never been done before. We are pouring everything we have into this project – 10 years of passion and research. We know the story will be captivating, with fungi adventures in the Gondwana forests of the subtropics, the ancient grand forest of the Tarkine, the desert country of the Flinders Ranges and World Heritage forests of Lord Howe Island.
We will introduce our audience to passionate mycologists and fungi enthusiasts, and we even take you zombie fungi hunting. You will be investing in a project that is inspirational, showing how we can all make a difference to understand the planet we live on.
Our impact campaign aims to::
Create Policy change contributing to the work of the international 3Fs campaign - Fauna Flora and Funga. Fungi are recognized as critical to life on this planet, however they represent just 0.2 % of our global conservation priorities. In Australia biodiversity legislation still classifies fungi under plants and no fungi is listed as endangered due to inadequate research and funding. This project would be used as part of the lobby to change this so that conservation management strategies can be designed and actioned.
Raise awareness about the lack of funding for fungi science and the gaps that need to be filled.
Inspire individuals to participate in citizen science, giving them the tools and to document fungi and uploading their finds to iNaturalist and Atlas of Living Australia.
Educate and promote understanding of the critical role fungi plays on the planet and inspire government and individuals to conserve and nurture its habitat.
We know we can reach our goal. In fact, if everybody who receives this email gives just $25, $50, $100 or $200, we’d easily meet our target.
So we’re asking you to donate today.
Again a big thanks to all who have contributed so far and for those that have we would be grateful if you could spread the word far and wide via your networks to anyone else you think would be interested.
This mushroom is the reproductive body of one of potentially thousands of species of fungus in the Big Scrub that have not yet been identified.