Ectomycorrhizae are fungus-root associations that comprise the feeder roots of most commercially
important conifers in British Columbia. A large body of research has been conducted on ectomycorrhizae
as they relate to forestry in the province; however, much of this information is scattered and is generally of
a highly technical nature.
This extension note summarizes the latest research on ectomycorrhizae, including information on the
role that ectomycorrhizal fungi play in forest ecosystems. The authors discuss several helpful forest management
practices that can maintain a diverse community of ectomycorrhizal fungi across the landscape.
These include: retaining refuge plants, mature trees, and old-growth forests; retaining the forest floor
during harvest and mechanical site preparation; avoiding high-intensity broadcast burns; minimizing the
effects of species shifts, particularly following grass seeding; maintaining the edge-to-area ratio of harvested
areas within certain limits; planting a mixture of tree species soon after harvest; retaining coarse
woody debris; and managing for the fruiting bodies formed by ectomycorrhizal fungi, including edible
mushrooms and truffles, fungi species used by wildlife, and rare and endemic species.