From: rusty.hinge@foobar.girolle.co.uk   
      
   On 30/03/15 16:07, riburr wrote:   
   > I started clearing the forest floor in my yard a couple years ago.  This   
   > consisted of raking leaves and dead brush into small piles and burning   
   > it.  Could only handle small areas at a time using this method. Progress   
   > was slow.   
   >   
   > This year I've begun using a powered hedge trimmer and leaf blower.   
   > Progress has sped up considerably.   
   >   
   > The thing is, the leaf blower can remove most of the forest duff   
   > consisting of a layer a couple inches thick of decaying leaves and   
   > sticks, down to what looks like more mineral soil.  Patches of mycelia   
   > are often visible once the duff has been blown off.  The ashes remaining   
   > after burning piles of leaves and debris are scattered more evenly by   
   > using the leaf blower.   
   >   
   > My guess is this is a significant change in the ecology from previous   
   > conditions.  I know forest fires are part of the natural environment,   
   > but modern forestry uses extensive fire control, and even the use of   
   > controlled or prescribed burns.  I'm wondering what effect clearing and   
   > burning has on the mushroom population.  I've already noticed mushrooms   
   > become much more visible.  Don't know if mushrooms will become more   
   > viable and plentiful by clearing the forest floor, or if I can expect   
   > different species to become more or less plentiful.   
   >   
   What you're blowing away, burning, etc is future years' crops. The only   
   plus might be a few morels where you've burnt stuff.   
      
   --   
   Rusty Hinge   
   To err is human. To really foul things up requires a computer and the BOFH.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)