“Lichens: They Are Not What You Thought They Were,”

June 11, 2024 1:30 am
Lichens are a combination of two plants—a fungus and an algae—that form a partnership to survive. Find out more on these super symbiotic organisms that mean so much to our ecosystem. Join Clallam County Master Gardener Muriel Nesbitt for the Green Thumb Education Series presentation, “Lichens: They Are Not What You Thought They Were” on Thursday, June 13th from noon – 1:00 p.m. at St. Andrews Episcopal Church, 510 E. Park Avenue in Port Angeles. (Photo of a lichen on a tree by Muriel Nesbitt)
Lichens are a combination of two plants—a fungus and an algae—that form a partnership to survive. Find out more on these super symbiotic organisms that mean so much to our ecosystem. Join Clallam County Master Gardener Muriel Nesbitt for the Green Thumb Education Series presentation, “Lichens: They Are Not What You Thought They Were” on Thursday, June 13th from noon – 1:00 p.m. at St. Andrews Episcopal Church, 510 E. Park Avenue in Port Angeles. (Photo of a lichen on a tree by Muriel Nesbitt)

by Muriel Nesbitt, Thursday, June 13, 2024

Lichens are two organisms—a fungus and an algae—that form a partnership to survive. These symbiotic friends are important to our environment by providing food and shelter for wildlife, protection for trees and human uses in medicines, dyes and textiles. Find out more on these amazing organisms by joining Clallam County Master Gardener Muriel Nesbitt for the Green Thumb Education Series presentation, “Lichens: They Are Not What You Thought They Were.”

Muriel will show images of local lichens, discuss how to identify them and how to tell how old they are. She will talk about their roles in nature and human history, what you can do with them and their ability to enter suspended animation and to survive in space. Muriel said she began to like lichens when she was out for a stroll. “I became interested in lichens while observing them in my neighborhood while walking my dog,” she said.

Muriel began her career as a high school teacher in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. She went on to become a graduate student at the University of Washington where she earned a Ph.D. in genetics. Muriel was a professor of biology at University of California, Los Angeles for two

years and then taught biology at University of California, San Diego for 35 years before retiring to Port Angeles in 2008.

The Green Thumb Education Series presentation “Lichens: They Are Not What You Thought They Were” will be held in person on Thursday, June 13th from noon – 1:00 p.m. at St. Andrews Episcopal Church, 510 E. Park Avenue in Port Angeles.

Or you may join via Zoom from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android:

https://wsu.zoom.us/j/93629898830?pwd=UnRkYjdwSGNmTnA4Y2hxVFBuRHVkZz09

Meeting ID: 936 2989 8830

Passcode: 676224

Or join by phone: 253-215-8782

The Green Thumb Education Series, sponsored by the Washington State University Clallam County Master Gardeners, is held on the second and fourth Thursday of each month through October. In November, December, and January, one lecture is offered. Scheduled presentations are subject to change. Visit the WSU Extension Clallam County website calendar for the latest information on upcoming presentations. For questions, call 360-565-2678.