WINTER LICHEN WALK at the BELLEVUE BOTANIC GARDENS 

Friday, February 9, 2024

Looking for a winter activity for those shorter days in the Seattle & Bellevue area?

Why not consider lichens as an alternative? They grow on trees, shrubs and rocks in botanic gardens and can tell us about air quality and the make-up of plants and geology.  Botanic gardens can take on new meaning as a *fun* place to observe a symbiotic organism made up of a fungus and algae.  You will also learn about common lichens found in an urban environment and take home a user-friendly chart that lists lichens found in your neighborhood.

Always wondered about what lichens are and why they are found on your trees, fences, Rhododendrons and Azaleas? Lichens are harmless to your plants and add aesthetic value to trees and shrubs. We can actually use them as indicators of air pollution!  Join Dr. Katherine Glew for two hours at the Bellevue Botanic Gardens on Friday, February 9 to get a head start on learning lichens from one of the Seattle areas botanic gardens. The walk around the gardens is just over 1 mile.

Registration: https://bellevuebotanical.org/event/lichen-walk/

Fee: $24.50 - $35

Bring a hand lens, if you have one. If you have a copy of McCune/Geiser Macrolichens of the Pacific Northwest, bring it.