Innovation Programme

Over the past quarter, the team at Flete Field Lab has made steady progress despite a few early technical hurdles. After some initial issues with unusable fungal grain spawn, they successfully sourced new fungal liquid cultures from suppliers Rhizocore. They then inoculated the mycofiltration sacks or ‘mycofilters’ and installed the first trial dams, including a biochar leaky dam as an additional feature to the trial. Alongside fieldwork, the team has also begun drafting the project’s written components, including methodology and a literature review, and completed the first five rounds of water testing.

Challenges and Adjustments

Since inoculation, the Hypholoma fasciculare (Sulphur Tuft) mycofilters have been slower to colonise and have faced contamination from Trichoderma, a naturally occurring but competing fungus. To give them the best chance to recover, the installation of this mycofiltration dam has been delayed, with the possibility that they may not be included if they fail to establish fully.

Heavy rainfall earlier in the season also washed away the first trial site, so the experiment has been relocated slightly downstream on the same tributary, keeping within the local ecological context while ensuring more stable conditions. Additionally, we added a biochar leaky dam, initially as a safeguard, which has turned out to be a standout performer in early testing.

Early Findings

Across the first ten tests, the biochar dam has performed exceptionally well, significantly reducing levels of nitrates, phosphates, and E. coli. The Trametes versicolor (Turkey Tail) is still settling into its new environment but has already begun to show nitrate reduction activity as the fungus acclimatises and grows.

Futur Focus

With the trial now in place and early data looking promising, the next stage will focus on continued sampling, monitoring fungal performance, and refining our understanding of how these living filters can help improve water quality via a scientific study.

During the third quarter of 2025, KENVO made steady progress across key project phases in Kereita Forest. From July through August, the team focused on site preparation and biochar production to enhance soil health and support future planting. In September, they applied mycorrhizal inoculum, completed sapling planting, and conducted baseline measurements to establish reference data for ongoing monitoring.

Early results

The team's first observations are encouraging. Biochar application has improved soil structure and moisture retention, while the inoculum appears to be supporting strong root development and early establishment. Baseline assessments revealed variation in soil conditions across plots, providing valuable insights for evaluating intervention effectiveness. Sapling survival rates are healthy, and clearer trends are expected as monitoring continues.

Challenges

The team also addressed several on-the-ground challenges. Limited site access made transporting materials and saplings difficult, but collaboration with the local community helped identify alternative routes and solutions. The team also swapped two of the initially selected tree species to include one wood species and a fruit tree species, tree tomato (Solanum betaceum,). This adjustment came directly from community feedback and supports a more sustainable, livelihood-linked restoration approach. Rapid weed growth posed additional ecological challenges, managed through regular manual weeding and mulching to suppress regrowth and conserve moisture. These experiences underscored the importance of adaptability and community engagement in ensuring project success.

Future Focus

In the coming quarter, efforts will focus on supporting sapling establishment during the anticipated November–December rains, which are expected to significantly boost survival and early growth. Preparations are also underway for the first round of monitoring and data collection in December 2025, which will provide the initial insights into sapling performance under different interventions.