June has been very busy with Aspen Ecology education events! A half-day lichen workshop and walk for the Suffolk Wildlife Trust at Carlton Marshes, a full-day lichen workshop with microscopy for pupils at Norwich School, and a lichen walk at Rydal Mount still to come. But the most extensive event of this month took place this past weekend: a two-day lichen beginners course for the Field Studies Council at the lovely and historic site of Flatford Mill, made famous by the eighteenth-century landscape paintings of John Constable.
Flatford Mill was the perfect venue for a residential lichen course. Not only are the facilities excellent, but the site is also varied and rich with lichens. The British Lichen Society held one of its earliest field meetings there, and 89 lichen taxa were recorded at Flatford between 1965 and 2014. But there has been no lichenology on site since then, and it was a privilege to be the one to re-establish it there.
Indeed, between my preparatory recce to prepare for the course, as well as lichen walks during the course itself, the tutees and I discovered many more lichen species on site. I’m pleased to report that the lichen list for Flatford now stands at 100 taxa. And one or two more may yet be added, pending microscopic examination.
The discovery of lichen species never before recorded at Flatford was a cause of some excitement for the tutees! And overall, feedback on the course has been extremely positive:
Anthony was a brilliant, knowledgeable, and passionate ambassador for the study of lichens. I enjoyed every minute of the two day course, and learnt a lot!
It was a very exciting weekend and a great voyage of discovery. Many thanks. It was just what we had been looking for.
I hope that this lichen course will be the first of many at FSC Flatford Mill!
Lichens for beginners
Lichens could be the poster child for neglected biodiversity. Even though they’re all around us, few people really notice them. But we should! Lichens aren’t just strange and beautiful, they also play an outsized ecological role. What’s more, they’re unique on Earth. This two-day course will cover all the lichen basics, including plenty of time observing lichens outdoors. You’ll build a solid understanding of lichens, and you’ll be equipped with the skills and knowledge to look more deeply into the lichens all around you.
Anthony is the field lichenologist behind Aspen Ecology. A committed naturalist, educator and communicator, he is a knowledgeable guide and responsive advisor on the remarkable world of lichens.
The field notes and lab notes for various lichen species on this website refer to special field-lichenological techniques. Examples include collecting lichens in the field, testing lichens with chemicals and ultraviolet light, and dissecting lichens with razors or other sharp tools.
These and other field-lichenological techniques require special knowledge and experience. They also demand an ethics of respect for lichens and other wildlife, for conservationally significant species and sites, and for land and landowners.
You should not attempt any of these techniques if you lack the necessary knowledge, experience or ethical sense. You should also take all relevant safety precautions. More information about field-lichenological safety and ethics is available from the British Lichen Society .
