Today I was pleased to be able to co-lead a workshop for the Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists’ Society on beginner lichen identification. It was lovely to meet NNNS members interested to learn about lichens, and about some of the ‘lab techniques’ used to identify them. I’m most grateful to Norfolk county lichen recorder Rob Yaxley for inviting me onto his patch, and for co-leading the workshop with me. Many thanks as well to the NNNS for asking me to offer a workshop to members!
Lichen identification for beginners
Lichens are probably the most fascinating yet overlooked organism in the natural world. Indeed, they’re not individual organisms at all. Rather, they’re such deep and integral partnerships that the word first invented to describe them – ‘symbiosis’ – might not even do them justice. Lichens are found in almost every terrestrial and aquatic environment, including where other organisms can’t survive, and they’re central to the planet’s ecology. And though they’re also beautiful, they’re just background smudges to most people, if they’re noticed at all.
In this workshop, Anthony Speca and Robert Yaxley will bring the compelling world of lichens out of the background. We’ll begin with an introduction to lichens, before heading outdoors to observe and collect species living in the Gressenhall museum grounds. We’ll then return indoors to learn how to analyse our lichens with microscopes and chemical reagents. Join us for an enjoyable and informative day: you’ll never look at lichens the same way again!
