This research compared soil fungi between tree plantations and natural forests, finding that while both environments support similar numbers of fungi, the types present are quite different. This has important implications for forest management and conservation. Impacts on everyday life: • Helps inform sustainable forestry practices that can produce wood while preserving biodiversity • Provides insights into how tree plantations could reduce pressure on natural forests • Advances understanding of soil health and ecosystem functioning in managed vs natural forests • Contributes to knowledge about climate change mitigation through forestry • Helps assess the environmental impact of converting agricultural land to forest plantations