Healthy Soils, Healthy Trees
Myceliating Austin’s Urban Forest!
About Healthy Soils, Healthy Trees
Austin's urban forest is under pressure. With extreme heat, prolonged drought, and heavier floods expected to intensify in the coming decade, our trees are struggling—especially in East Austin, where canopy coverage is among the lowest in the city and communities face greater climate vulnerability. Despite this, the living soil beneath our feet—the fungi and microbes that sustain tree health—remains largely overlooked in traditional restoration and planting efforts.
Funded by the City of Austin Urban Forestry, Healthy Soils, Healthy Trees is a community science and education initiative that bridges this gap. Led by Central Texas Mycological Society in partnership with Ecology Action of Texas and TreeFolks, the project activates the Myco Research Station at Circle Acres Preserve with hands-on workshops, public art, and community-driven research to investigate how fungi support soil and forest health. Our goal is to foster stewardship, deepen public understanding of urban forestry and mycology, and build community resilience through science and art. Because healthy soils grow healthy trees—and healthy trees grow healthier communities.
Overview of HSHT
Educational Programs and Outreach
Funding supports fungal-rich soil, tree planting workshops and outreach across Austin, with curriculum and education tools developed using the society’s network. Funds also improve Myco Research Station at Circle Acres Preserve and support tree plantings at Roy G. Guerrero Park.
Research & Community Science
Soil Microbiome Research: Study how fungi impact tree drought resilience. Partner with COA, EcologyAction (EA), TreeFolks.
Johnson-Su Compost Research: Partner with Ecology Action to builds compost bioreactors, monitors growth, collects samples.
How You Can Help
Take Our Poll and Win a SporeCorps T-shirt
Volunteer with tree measurement and planting workdays
In-Kind & Monetary Donations
Digital Resources
Caring for Trees with Mushrooms
This guide will show you how to use mushrooms to care for trees and improve soil quality. Learn more about our Healthy Soils, Healthy Trees initaitive, and how to get access to a mushroom block here in Central Texas!
Recommended for high school to adults.
Quest to Regenerative Soil (Activity Zine)
A 24-page interactive zine that turns students into soil superheroes—one mushroom block, wildflower seed, and compost scrap at a time. Includes 6 quests, side quests and recipes!
Recommended for grades 3rd-High School.
Upcoming Events
Program Coming Soon
Past Events
May 19, 2026: Myco-Phytoremediation: A Socio-Ecological Reconciliation (Watch Recording)
April 12, 2026: Community Composting at Circle Acres Preserve
March 10, 2026: The Wood Wide Web - 30 Years Later with Christian Schwartz (Watch Recording)
February 28, 2026: Community Tree Planting at Roy Guerrero Metropolitan Park
December 5, 2025: Community Tree Planting at Roy Guerrero Metropolitan Park
November 11, 2025: The Secret Life of Wildflowers: How a Hidden Fungal Network Sustains Texas' Iconic Bloom with Elena Leander (Watch Recording)
May 06, 2025: Cultivate Native Mycorrhizal Fungi with Danielle Stephenson Part II (Watch Recording)
February 23, 2025: Cultivate Native Mycorrhizal Fungi with Danielle Stevenson Part 1 (Watch Recording)
October 26, 2024: Tree and Mushroom Block Giveaway at Día de los Muertos: A Roots & Wings Festival Event with Red Salmon Arts
September 14, 2024:Microscopy Class & "Soil"-cial Pool Party with Matt Powers
May 25, 2024:Mycoremediation Workshop with Daniel Reyes, founder of the Myco Research Station
December 10, 2023:Next Level Composting! How to Create a Johnson-Su Bioreactor
December 9 2023: Decompose / Descompone: A public art walk at Circle Acres!
October 29, 2023: Myco Art & Materials Workshop with Sam of Fruiting Body Apothecary
September 30, 2023: Cultivating Biodiversity and Climate Resilience with Mushrooms. A conversation with Andie Marsh from Rhizos, Cristina Campbell from COA, Colin Averill from Funga about the role fungi can play to address land conservation and regeneration, and cultivate resilience to climate change and other challenges in Central Texas.
April 23, 2023: Sheet Mulching with Mycelium: Build Resilient Planting Beds with Leah Churner from Delta Dawn Gardens.
April 1, 2023:Discovering the Soil Food Web: Exploring connections between fungi, trees and soils! Workshop on the science and potential of the soil food web with Austin Community College professor of horticulture, Ellen Beaman, scientist Andie Marsh from Rhizos, and Gabriel Miller from CTMS.
January 23, 2023:The Mycelium Connection: Exploring the healing connections between trees, soil and fungi with Jesus Garcia.
Sept. 25, 2022: Join us for a volunteer work day at the Myco Research Station. We’ll focus on replacing wooden posts and beams to secure the structure as well as planning for soil building and community science experiments. We are in particular need of volunteers who have carpentry skills and access to a pick-up truck. Register.
Oct. 9, 2022: This session we’ll be working on securing the research station structure, inoculating mulch with saprophytic mushrooms, and more! Register
Nov. 4, 2022: Tree planting event in Roy G. Guerrero Park.
Dec. 4, 2022: Tree planting event in Roy G. Guerrero Park.
May 21, 2023: Myco Research Station maintenance and tree monitoring at Circle Acres. Register
Can’t make these events? Sign-up here to stay in the loop.
Get Involved
Email us to get involved and discuss ways to partner and collaborate!
The Team & Partners
Angel Schatz Program Lead
Pierce Lynch Lead Researcher
Ellen Beaman Research & Education Assistant, ACC, Earth Mama Crafts
Andrea Julian Research & Education Assistant
Austin Davenport Research & Education Assistant
Louis Keller Soil Science, Ringtail Regeneratives
Andie Marsh Soil Science, Rhizos Science
Eric Paulus Ecology Action of Texas
Vit Casper & Team TreeFolks
Locations
Myco Research Station at Circle Acres Nature Preserve, Austin, TX 78741 and the Tree Folks Nursery
Support is provided by the City of Austin’s Urban Forest Grant Program, TreeFolks, AND VOLUNTEERS! Thank you!
