Often vilified as freeloaders and pests, research from across Australia and elsewhere is painting a different picture. Dave reviews his thirty years of studies unravelling the secret lives of mistletoes, quandongs, sandalwoods and native cherries, emphasising how ecological partnerships drive a range of positive impacts at local, landscape and ecosystem scales. Providing a reliable source of food and shelter for wildlife, concentrating nutrients and boosting soil health, these unsung heroes punch well above their weight in woodlands and forests the world over.