In the chaotic aftermath of Mount St. Helens’ 1980 eruption, when lava and ash stripped life from miles of forest, a curious ecological experiment took place — and then quietly disappeared from view. Now, over 40 years later, scientists say that brief, oddball trial may have helped rewrite the rules of post-disaster recovery. The gophers, known for their tunnelling habits and often maligned as pests, spent 24 hours burrowing in the ash-covered landscape before being removed. Overview of the Mount St. Helens study area. “Especially the things we cannot see — like microbes and fungi.”As climate change, deforestation and natural disasters continue to reshape landscapes around the world, the Mount St. Helens gopher experiment offers an unusual yet compelling case study.