DISCOVERING LICHENS IN THE FUNDY COASTAL REGION - Field Trip

July 19, 2008 (9:00 PM - 4:00 PM)

Dr. Stephen Clayden

Festoons of old-man’s-beard on spruce and fir trees, brilliant orange patches on coastal rocks, and spongy, caribou moss in bogs -- all of these are lichens, intimate associations of fungi and green, or blue-green, algae. The Fundy coastal region has a rich diversity of lichens in many different habitats. This one-day workshop will offer an introduction to their natural history and identification. We will explore trails and shorelines near St. Andrews, examining species growing in forested and open areas, and on trees, rocks and soil. We will also collect material to examine indoors with microscopes, focusing on some of the characteristics most useful for identification. Participants should gain a new, or renewed, appreciation of the extraordinary variety and habitat preferences of these intriguing and beautiful organisms. They are also great subject matter for both artists and photographers! Appropriate clothing and footwear and bringing your own lunch are recommended.

Fee: $75 plus HST

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Dr. Stephen Clayden

Dr. Stephen Clayden is the New Brunswick Museum’s research curator of Botany and Mycology. He is a native of the province, a lifelong field-naturalist, and one of only a handful of Canadian researchers specializing in the study of lichens. Among his current projects are investigations of lichen diversity in cedar swamp forests in New Brunswick, and of lichens as indicators of air quality in the greater Saint John region. He is a graduate of Mount Allison University, the Université de Montréal, and the University of London, U.K. Stephen is an experienced field trip and workshop leader, who even strays, from time to time, off the topic of lichens!

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