Stamets is the quintessential Bioneer as the author, Mycellium Running and founder of Fungi Perfecti (which is doing groundbreaking work in using fungus, mushrooms, to remediate contaminated soil).

Seven myco-technologies that can transform life

(Indigenous people discovered a mushroom that could be hollowed out and used to carry fire long distances and than cooked. The women in a small Australian tribe carried that knowledge that would have been lost otherwise).

The way forward I believe is the path of the mycellium. We suffur from a mycophobia. Colored by magic mushroom. But virtually all plants are part fungi. Grand decomposers, the whole ecosystem is joined together by them. Their roots are literally deep. Figured out that hemlock trees get a biodirection flow of nutrients that 'mothers' the trees through the ground. They are soil magicians. They create soil, and the loss of soil is the greatest threat to our environment. We discovered that mushrooms grow under water recently.

The sequence of a maturing mushroom helps the downstream ecosystems. They melt into the ground and help create hundreds of miles of underground nutrient network. These are Earth's natural internet which may have inspired our Internet. They have nodes of crossing, resilient to catastrophy because the network is well dispersed.

We share more in common with mycellium than any other kingdom. Our best antibiotics come from fungi. 1.3 billion years ago, fungi were first organism to come to land. Did it because it could pull minerals, calcium, our of rocks (which makes the rock break down and create soil). 420 million years ago the tallest plants were only 2 ft tall. You could look across the landscape at 'giant' mushrooms.

We developed a method for using stems of mushrooms at soil remedation. In rows of burlap sacks in contaminated soil. Six sites in Mesa County. They are growing rapidly, leading to dramatic reductions in coliform bacteria. Now exploring it as best practices in agriculture department. First studies in lab on effect of staph and ecoli -- lead to 99 percent inhibiiton. A topical antibiotic very effective.

Agarikon form of mushroom has 2,000 year history did trials against bacteria like turberculosis, and its extremely active against bacteria. Very rare, hard to find --100 to 1 odds found it in a remote island off British Columbia. Extremely powerful compared to pharmacuetical drugs against viruses like avian flu. I've been able to make argument that we should save the old growth forest as a matter of national defense (was awarded a national security award by the federal goverment). Awarded three patents that could transform society, including a fungi-based insecticide that's 100 percent effective and environmentally benign. Incredible stuff.