What's Happening

Hello Northwest Lichenologists and enthusiasts,

It is that time of year again – the call for contributions to the 2019 Northwest Lichenologists Newsletter!

We would like to see contributions from the following areas:

Personals
Recent publications and web sites
Results from forays and field trips
Upcoming workshops/courses offered
New and interesting lichen species
Project descriptions and results – current and proposed
Short communications, articles

Short biographies

Lichen jobs being advertised for the upcoming year

We encourage interesting photos or links to web sites. If you would like to submit a short paper, keep in mind that it must already be edited for spelling and punctuation. As editors, we work on the formatting of submissions for the newsletter. We cannot accept papers that need grammatical revising.

Besides the above suggestions, we will consider anything relating to northwest lichenology that you can think of – including artwork, poetry, photography, etc.

Please send your submissions to Scot Loring <gniroltocs@hotmail.com> 

Submissions will generally be placed in their applicable section of the newsletter in the order received. Please pass this e-mail on if you know of someone who is interested but does not receive postings on NWL servers. We would like to receive any submissions by March 1, 2019.  Any entries received after that date will likely be placed in the 2020 newsletter.  Apologies for any multiple copies of this message, as we use multiple mailing lists.

Sincerely,

Scot Loring

Editor

http://northwest-lichenologists.wildapricot.org/

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SATURDAY, MAY 4, 2019 – SUNDAY, MAY 5, 2019

The Opal Creek old-growth forest provides prime habitat for hundreds of species of lichens, mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. Lichens and bryophytes are invaluable to forest ecosystems – and many species are only found in the ancient forests of the Pacific Northwest. Join us in investigating these extraordinary species that merit greater attention as indicators of air quality and forest health. This workshop is well-suited to expand upon a baseline knowledge of lichens and bryophytes, and will be particularly helpful for professionals in the field.

www.opalcreek.org to register

See the photo of the "postcard" in the photo section!

Daphne Stone will teach a 3-day class delving into the genus Usnea at Siskiyou Field Institute, 10-12 April, 2019. The class will use specimens and her new booklet illustrating Usnea species, and we will go on several field trips. To register contact SFI.

Daphne Stone will lead her annual Lichen Walk at Mt. Pisgah Arboretum near Eugene on 16 February 2019 from 10-12, rain or shine. Free to members, small charge for non-members.

01 Jan 2019 8:53 AM | Bruce McCune (Administrator)

The NW Lichenologists calendar for next year is now available.

The coming year's calendar highlights the spectacular photography of Jason Hollinger with entertaining and informative captions by Jason and Nastassja Noell. Plus they provide short bios for five historical figures important in the development of lichenology in western North America.

This 11 x 8.5 inch wall calendar, opening to 11 x 17 inches, has one month per page and a photo of a charismatic lichen on the facing page. This is a limited edition, first come, first serve. A list of lichens included is given on the NWL website's calendar page.

We have a new offering from NW Lichenologists, a handy, compact guide to Usnea in our region.

See below for a general description and the Store section of the NWL website for more details. Note also that we have a limited time discount if you order the 2019 calendar and the booklet together.

Enjoy!

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Usnea in the Pacific Northwest,  Aide Mémoire

by Daphne Fisher Stone, illustrated by Hannah Wilson and Rachel Werling

ISBN: 978-0-9790737-3-1 (pbk.)

Cost: $12 per copy + $3 for domestic shipping and handling for 1-10 copies. (For example, 3 copies would be 3 * $12 + $3 = $39. One copy is $15 including shipping.

Inspired by an "Aide Mémoire" booklet produced by the British Lichen Society, this booklet provides a compact reference to Usnea in the Pacific Northwest with black and white line drawings, identification tips, and more. It should be useful to professionals and beginners alike. At the top of each page is a general statement about where the species is found in the Pacific Northwest. Each page shows several sketches. At the top left is an “icon” intended to show the general growth form. The icons used are tufted and bushy; pendulous without fibrils; pendulous with fibrils; and several with a special form or coloration, including Usnea lambii, U. longissima, and U. silesiaca. On the top right is an illustration of a large branch, cut in half lengthwise and also cut across the branch. This shows the relative thickness of the cortex (C), medulla (M), and axis (A), a useful tool for identification. Below the first two sketches are one or two sketches showing characters on main and secondary branches. A few words indicate characters that are typical of the species, such as soralia shape, isidia, papillae, and dents in the main branches. You may notice that on most species I do not describe branching patterns. This is because most Usnea thalli that are collected are not perfect, mature thalli, so branching patterns are not usually obvious. The bottom of each page lists similar species and some differences between them and the highlighted species. At the end of the booklet is an illustrated glossary.

Cemetery Lichens - Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Seattle

​Why not consider lichens as an alternative for Hallowe'en?  Lichens are friendly and interesting organisms that love to grow on headstones and old trees. They are harmless to your plants and add aesthetic value to trees and shrubs.  We can actually use them as indicators of air pollution!

Katherine Glew is offering a 2 hour lichen experience at the Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Seattle, on Saturday, October 27 from 10:00am to noon. This offering will occur - rain, shine, wind, snow.........

To sign up for the course and read a description, go to the following link:

https://www.uwbotanicgardenscatalog.org/Cemetery-Lichens-P1711.aspx

Bring a hand lens to view lichen details

The Central Puget Sound Chapter of the WA Native Plant Society, east side, will host a presentation on lichens by Dr. Katherine Glew from the University of Washington Herbarium, Burke Museum of Natural History.

Dr. Glew will introduce lichens through photos and field material. The importance of lichens in the forest and all environments will be discussed. Lichens are part of most ecosystems and contribute nutrients from which other plants can benefit.

Fun lichen facts will be shared, such as using them for creating the dyes in Scottish kilts and the making of lichen schnapps in Iceland. Did you know that lichens can be used as indicators of air pollution? They also have medicinal properties that have been use over centuries. Join me in discovering these fascinating fungi that form partnerships with green algae and cyanobacteria.

Forest Service jobs for 2019 are now being advertised. You will only have until October 12, 2018 to apply for next spring/summer jobs! I recommend you apply now even if you aren't sure what you'll be doing next year because this will be the only opportunity to apply for Forest Service seasonal work. http://www.usajobs.gov/ You'll want to search for Biological Science Technician Plants or Biological Science Technician Natural Resources (for GS-5). If you are interested in lichen focused work be sure to apply for positions in John Day Oregon (Malheur NF). The job won't require residence in John Day and the work takes place all around OR and WA.