About the event

Lichens could be the poster child for neglected biodiversity.  Few people really notice them, and even fewer care about them.  But lichens aren’t only curiously beautiful, they also play an outsized and important ecological role.  What’s more, they’re unique on Earth.  They’re neither fungus, nor plant, nor even organisms in the usual sense, and entering the lichen world can seem like travelling to another planet.

This webinar will introduce you to the fascinating world of lichens: why they’re important, what they are exactly, what different types exist, how they’re built, how they grow and spread.  Lichens are everywhere, so we’ll also take a brief look at lichens that you can see and appreciate in your area.  But lichens in Britain aren’t flourishing as much as they could do, so we’ll also consider how they can be conserved and promoted.

Beware!  Once you’ve taken your first steps along the path to ‘enlichenment’, you’ll wonder how anyone could ever overlook such strange and compelling creatures.

Anthony Speca is a field lichenologist based in northeast Suffolk.  Through Aspen Ecology, he offers lichen education, surveying and consultancy.  He’s an active lichen recorder, as well as a lichen tutor with the British Lichen Society and the Field Studies Council.  He was first inspired by lichens when he inadvertently focused his macro-lens on a gravestone alive with them, instead of on the nearby wildflower he’d meant to photograph!

In addition to this webinar, Anthony’s upcoming lichen talks, courses and workshops include:

• A short talk on lichens for the Suffolk Naturalists’ Society (Alder Carr Farm, 28 November 2024)
• A one-day lichen workshop for the Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists’ Society (Gressenhall Farm, 6 December 2024)
• A ten-week ‘Lichens for Absolute Beginners’ course for the British Lichen Society (online, beginning 16 January 2025)
• A half-day lichen workshop for the Suffolk Wildlife Trust (Carlton Marshes, 8 June 2025)
• A two-day lichen basics course for the Field Studies Council (Flatford Mill, 21-22 June 2025)

(photo - Protoparmeliopsis muralis - courtesy of Anthony Speca)

This Wildlife Live Webinar is part of a series of online events on a range of wildlife topics. It is scheduled to last approximately one hour plus a questions & answers session. Suffolk Wildlife Trust uses the Zoom platform for its webinars and, when you book, you will receive simple instructions on how to join the event from the comfort of your own home. When booking, please input the same email you will be using on the night. Subtitles are available.

TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT, WHETHER PAYING BY PAYPAL OR CREDIT CARD, PLEASE ENSURE YOU SCROLL DOWN TO FILL IN THE BOOKING FORM AND COMPLETE YOUR BOOKING BY PRESSING THE ORANGE 'PLACE BOOKING' BUTTON.

Please ensure you enter your email correctly when booking as we will use this email to send you the links you need to join the Wildlife Live Webinar via Zoom. Your confirmation details and Zoom access will be specific to the email you submit. If you have any issues with booking your place or receiving the follow-up email, please contact us on networks@suffolkwildlifetrust.org. NB you may need to check your Junk folders to find the automated email instructions for joining the webinar. 

All places are non-refundable. Full Terms & Conditions are available on our website via this link. (https://www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/webinars-terms-and-conditions)