Ground Layer (Fungi)
Fungi | Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria) – Bright red cap with white spots.
Value: Highly recognisable and useful for teaching that not all fungi are safe. Risk: Poisonous—never touch or eat.
Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor) – Thin, fan-shaped bracket fungus with colourful concentric bands.
Value: Excellent example of decomposition and nutrient recycling. Risk: Ensure students leave fungi in place to continue their ecological role.
King Alfred’s Cakes (Daldinia concentrica) – Hard black round fungal bodies growing mainly on dead ash.
Value: Demonstrates woodland decay and was traditionally used as tinder. Risk: Leave attached to deadwood where possible to support the ecosystem.
Birch Polypore (Fomitopsis betulina) – Smooth pale bracket fungus growing almost exclusively on birch trees.
Value: Encourages discussion about tree health and decomposition. Risk: Large fungal brackets may indicate internal decay in trees.
Common Earthball (Scleroderma citrinum) – Round yellow-brown fungus with a thick skin and dark interior.
Value: Excellent for comparing poisonous fungi with edible puffballs during identification activities. Risk: Poisonous—students should never pick or eat wild fungi.
Forest Footsteps 
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