The village of Waldringfield, on the banks of the River Deben in southeast Suffolk, is lucky to be home to some very active local naturalists. The Waldringfield Wildlife Group (WWG), together with the Waldringfield Gardeners Group, make up Greener Waldringfield, a community-led initiative focused on biodiversity conservation, carbon reduction and sustainable living.

So I was delighted to hear that the WWG had recently taken an interest in lichens, and to receive a request from them to learn about lichens in their village! The world of lichens is secret and strange, so we began with an introductory presentation to set the stage. After some discussion and a short break, we then set out to observe lichens in the ‘wilds’ of Waldringfield.

As with many towns and villages in Suffolk, the most important lichen habitat in Waldringfield is the parish church. Waldringfield’s Tudor-era All Saints’ Church isn’t as old as the medieval parish church typical of many Suffolk villages, and it’s well-shaded. But historical records list 49 lichen species there: average for a Suffolk church, and plenty for WWG members to explore.

And what’s more, the church hasn’t been surveyed for lichens since 1981! So it’s a perfect location for WWG members to begin to make their own lichen records, and to include lichens in their efforts to conserve and promote biodiversity in Waldringfield.

Many thanks to the WWG for inviting me to their village. I’m also grateful to the Suffolk Naturalists’ Society for supporting this community outreach event through their new scheme to support the work of County Recorders.