HRDI Researchers Suggest Three Steps to Reduce Burning in Mushroom Picking Forest Communities

 | Fri 14 Feb 2020 12:37 ICT

CityNews – The Highland Research and Development Institute (HRDI) has been working to identify ways to tackle the haze problem in Northern Thailand by working directly with local forest communities. A long-held belief is that fire allows new mushrooms to grow, something that must change.

HRDI has suggested three steps:

  1. Using mycorrhizal mushrooms such as Puff Ball Mushrooms, Egg Mushrooms, Red Mushrooms and Chi Mushrooms, and add a leavening agent from old mushrooms which can help these mushrooms to grow without burning and allowing the planting of more trees.
  2. Use the forest detritus as fertilizer, removing debris from the forest floor and reducing the natural fire risk.
  3. Use microbes to help the decomposition of leaves, twigs and other debris that are fuel for fires. 

Although the above would not be an immediate solution and require education, the use of practical biological methods would help reduce the contribution to haze, create more food sources and improve forest biodiversity.