I have a lot of ferns in my woodlands and realized how little I know about their role and benefits in the ecosystem and specific varieties- maybe Anthony T covered this topic? I believe they reproduce from spores?- I’d be interested to know how they rank for desirability and impact.

lot 's of people eat them, [some kinds] are poison

I expect to hear from the Fiddlehead eaters

I too am interested, to me they serve no purpose, after some logging jobs they seem to take over and no much else grows. I know they are a different kind of plant, not a grass or forb.

There were some that grew under the hemlock canopy that deer really liked, picked a few fiddleheads never got too curious about ferns seemed to hold there share of skeeters!

lots of what grows in N. WI in the open in sandy soil is whats known as sweet ferns, not really a fern. No fiddleheads from these guys.
They grow in open sandy soil and can take over large areas. They are very common.

Not the same as the ferns that grow in more shaded wet spots.

This is what made me start to wonder- I seeded my new logging road with Deer Creek Loggers Trail Wildlife Food Plot Mix- a lot of ferns popping up on the newly disrupted soil.