The  April 1st meeting was a presentation Fungi in Forests and Landscapes:  Friends or Foes?  by Robert (Bob) Marra who is a plant pathologist at the CT Agricultural Experiment Station.

Bob’s talk introduced us to the fascinating world of that poorly understood Kingdom Fungi.  He covered fungi as recyclers, pathogens, parasites and plant partners (symbionts).  Many plants, including the trees in our forests, could not survive without the important associations their roots establish with fungi.   The presentation looked at fungus we see above ground like trunk and limb rots, cankers and canker rots, as well as things that go on below ground like root and butt rots.

Laetiporus sulphureus
Common name is sulphur shelf and chicken of the woods
Courtesy of Renee Marsh

Linda Tura covered the invasive plant of the month:  Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata)