Lichens cover 6-8% of the Earth’s land surface, but most people are unfamiliar with these life forms, which attach themselves to rocks, tree bark, or soil. A lichen is a combination of a fungus and either an alga or a cyanobacterium, and more than 15,000 species of lichens have been identified worldwide, including 3,600 in North America and over 700 kinds of lichen in Ohio.
If you would like to learn more about lichens, join us on Friday, May 3, 2024 at 10:00 am for a half-day workshop, The World of Lichens, at Secrest Arboretum, Wooster, Ohio.
We’ll begin the workshop with a 45- to 60-minute slide program that will cover basic information on lichens, their structure, how they live and reproduce, where to find them, essential equipment for lichen observation and identification, and tips on collecting and photographing lichens in the field. Following the slide program, we will explore the Arboretum grounds for two hours to find and identify a variety of lichens.
Participants will receive a free copy of the Ohio Division of Wildlife brochure, Common Lichens of Ohio Field Guide, written by lichenologist Ray Showman and illustrated with beautiful color photographs of more than fifty species of Ohio lichens by lichen expert Bob Klips.
This lichen program is being co-hosted by Secrest Arboretum and the Ohio Natural Areas & Preserves Association (ONAPA). ONAPA members may pre-register for this program by emailing Guy Denny at: guy.denny7@gmail.com
Additional information is also be available on the Secrest Arboretum website.