Background

Paul Stamets – world renowned mycologist and author wrote the book Mycelium Running:
Mycofiltration: Germination of the Idea

When Paul first bought land in Skookum Inlet, he sourced and dumped several truck loads of wood chips onto his land. Then he spread spawn (any material impregnated with mycelium (roots of fungi/mushrooms)) throughout the chips. The mixture of chips and spawn were used to inoculate more massive substrates (any organic material on which mushrooms mycelium will grow). The next summer, enormous mushrooms grew. 

A few months after Paul moved onto his land, the Sheriff ordered him, and his neighbours to install new septic systems within 2 years or vacate the land. The court order indicated fecal coliform pollution (from farm run-off) threatened the shell fish industry in the inlet below. 

Even before he repaired his septic system, “...analysis of Paul’s out-flowing water showed dramatic improvement: a hundred-fold drop in coliform levels (compared to all neighbouring farms) despite the fact Paul had doubled his population of farm animals. 


Word spread of his success with mycofiltration. Formal experiments were conducted in science labs. Extensive research shows mycofiltration has wide spread applications to destroy/sequester biological and chemical toxins.