HUNTERS? People hunt lichens? Yes, there are groups of devoted individuals who determinedly scour the UK to find lichen growths, identify them and map the sites. They expend energy and time tramping to remote spots in all kinds of weather to spot these sometimes colourful – and sometimes unprepossessing – symbiotic associations of green algae or cyanobacteria and filamentous fungi.
The lichen hunters’ enthusiasm is reviving a pursuit that until recently was fading in popularity, with efforts in the UK lagging behind those of other countries. Now the British Lichen Society is thriving and contributes to international research. This may involve landing by helicopter on mountaintops, or gruelling…
