About the event

Join us for an introduction to lichens on trees. This event is in partnership with the Plymouth Green Communities project and part of the citizen science programme of the Saving Devon's Treescapes (SDT) project.

We'll be introducing you to the wonderful world of lichens. What are they? What role do they play in an ecosystem? How can you tell one from another? Prepare to be amazed as you look at lichens with the aid of a x10 hand lens.

You do not need any prior knowledge or experience to attend this training session - it is strictly for beginners. However, if you wish, you may like to watch the online training presentation given for us by lichenologist April Windle (Saving Devon's Treescapes - The Wonderful World of Lichens (youtube.com)).

This in-person event will give you a chance to find out if you'd like to continue learning about, and then recording lichens for the SDT project. We will cover some basic lichen ecology and morphology, and focus mainly on looking at examples of lichens on trees in the park and how to identify them. Lichens are important components of our ecosystems, and bioindicators - giving clues to the health of the environment they live in. They are a world in miniature, fascinating, beautiful, and under-represented in species recording in Devon.

In coming years, as Ash Dieback drastically reduces available habitat for particular species of lichens that prefer ash habitat, we are keen to understand the impact on these lichens. Will their numbers also reduce, or will they be able to adapt to living on other trees? That's where you can help us by learning how to identify, and then record these species.

This event is aimed at those new to looking at lichens only. If you have attended a similar event in previous years and would like to refresh your skills or join others to practice and develop your skills and knowledge, please contact Lindsay (lmahon@devonwildlifetrust.org) to find out how.

This event will be run by DWT's Lindsay Mahon, the Citizen Science Officer for Saving Devon's Treescapes, and Fred Gibson, Devon Wildlife Trust volunteer and something os a lichen guru!

Central Park is a great venue for this event. As one of Plymouth's large green spaces, it offers a range of trees of different ages and their associated lichens, to examine and practice identification skills. Central Park is one of the focus points for teh Green Communities project. Joining instructions, directions and advice on parking will be provided a few days before the event.

Saving Devon's Treescapes is a partnership project led by DWT on behalf of the Devon Ash Dieback Resilience Forum and supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, One Tree Planted and other funders. Read more about the project and find other ways to get involved here: Saving Devon's Treescapes | Devon Wildlife Trust. You can read more about Green Communities here Green Communities (Plymouth) | Devon Wildlife Trust

If you have any questions prior to, or after the event, please contact Lindsay (lmahon@devonwildlifetrust.org).