The Forest’s Staircase

Deep within the emerald embrace of Conkles Hollow State Natural Preserve, a decaying tree trunk finds new life as a bustling high-rise for Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor) or similar polypore fungi. This whimsical low-angle shot captures the delicate white and tan ridges of the mushrooms as they march upward toward the blurred forest canopy. Dotted with vibrant green moss and bathed in the soft, diffused light of an Ohio autumn, this image celebrates the quiet, magical process of forest decomposition and the "Wood Wide Web."

Awards: Judge Commendation, Fungi in Nature, Photocrowd June 2026