Don holds a PhD in Plant Pathology from North Carolina State University. He began his career with the U.S. Forest Service as a technician in 1958, and retired after 36 years of service in 1994. Don devoted most of that career to the study of mycorrhizae, which included the discovery of a special strain of mycorrhizal fungus, called Pisolithus tinctorius, which enables trees to grow under very adverse soil conditions (including soil pH below 3). This beneficial fungus is now used to inoculate tens of millions of pine seedlings each year before outplanting in forest settings, and has given tremendously increased survival and growth rates. During his career, Don authored over 230 scientific articles which were published in 8 languages), presented 300 invitational lectures in 25 countries (including almost all major universities in the U.S.), and received 9 prestigious awards, including the Marcus Wallenberg Prize (by the King of Sweden), which is considered the equivalent of a Nobel Prize in forestry. Don is now Chairman and Chief Scientist of Plant Health Care, Inc., based in Pennsylvania, which is bringing many biological products (including some containing Pisolithus tinctorius) to the urban tree care and landscape profession. Root Awakening is a company based in the Nashville, Tennessee Area that does strictly organic soil injection therapy, utilizing these products.
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