The trees provide sugars that the mushroom needs and the mushroom helps the tree gather water and minerals. Both the mushroom and the tree can florish in this arrangement. This photo was taken with the camera very close to the ground and peeking under a little mound of dirt and pine needles. The mushroom can be seen hiding there. Unfortunately, by the time the mushroom becomes even this visible, it is often over-mature and not very valuable.
Pickers learn to look for small mounds on the forest floor.
Then they carefully uncover their prize, pop it to the surface with a narrow tool and carefully replace any disturbed soil. This last step is important. Like an apple, the mushroom is the fruit of a much larger organism. Unlike an apple tree, most of the mushroom grows underground. These are managed under an agreement with a private firm.