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.

Anthony's talk 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 is a field lichenologist based in northeast Suffolk and the County Recorder for Lichens for Suffolk.  Through Aspen Ecology, he offers lichen education, surveying and consultancy.  He is a lichen recorder for the British Lichen Society and a Biodiversity tutor with 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 event, Anthony’s upcoming lichen talks, courses and workshops include:

• A full day Lichen Workshop with Suffolk Wildlife Trust's Carlton Marshes on May 2nd, 2026. Keep an eye on the What's On at Carlton Marshes pages in the new year for details and to book your place.
• A 2-day Lichen Basics course with the Field Studies Council at Epping Forest on May 9th & 10th, 2026. 

£4 adults (under 25s free). Cash or card.

Donations welcome for refreshments.

No booking required.

We look forward to seeing you all.