Lichen Revival III: Rediscovering Macrolichens in the Canadian Rockies

photo of Vulpicida candensis by Tim Wheeler

A three-day workshop with Diane Haughland & Trevor Goward

Wednesday 4—7 October 2017

photo of Hypogymnia protea by Tim Wheeler

Hypogymnia protea

Please join Diane Haughland and Trevor Goward in Jasper National Park for some enlichened walks in the woods and an introduction to some lesser known macrolichens – some recently described, others new to science.

Against the backdrop of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, our workshop will help you find firm footing in the ever-shifting sands of lichen taxonomy, with a focus on tricky genera including Bryoria, Hypogymnia, and Peltigera. We’ll introduce you to species newly discovered in British Columbia & Alberta, in part through the work of the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute. Finally we’ll be glad to help you brush up on (or get to know) the still-spectacular stand-by species.

photo of Peltigera conspersa ined. by Jason Hollinger

Peltigera “conspersa” ined.

The workshop will include lab time, so please bring along troublesome specimens you’d like another opinion on. We can’t promise to put names on everything, but we do promise to help you tell one species from another…

When: Lichen Revival III will begin Wednesday evening (4 October) at 7:00 PM with an introductory talk and orientation to the workshop. It will run through Thursday, Friday and Saturday, ending before dinner on Saturday afternoon so you can be home by Thanksgiving Sunday.

photo of Parmelia sulymae by Jason Hollinger

Parmelia sulymae

Where: Wednesday’s talk and all classroom work will take place at the Palisades Environmental Centre, approximately 12 km east of the Jasper town site on Highway 16, in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada. Daily outings will take us to different habitats throughout the park.

Registration: This event will be capped at 20 people. To register or express interest, please contact Diane Haughland at diane.haughland@gov.ab.ca before August 1st. Registration form is found here.

photo of Bryoria kockiana by Jason Hollinger

Bryoria kockiana

Cost: $400 CND, $320 US. Costs cover the shared accommodation at the Palisades, and all meals from 5 Oct breakfast to 7 Oct lunch. Scholarships covering part of the costs may be available for students and others in early career; please indicate your interest in your email.

Resources: Resources and readings will be provided prior to the workshop.

More Information: Shortly after September 1st, participants will receive an information package including a preliminary events schedule, and details on useful equipment, meals, accommodation details, weather, footwear and clothing.

Workshop Leaders:

photo of Diane Haughland

Dr. Diane Haughland began working with the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI) in 2004 and joined the Royal Alberta Museum as the ABMI’s lichenologist in 2011. In conjunction with the ABMI, Diane’s current focus on macrolichens has contributed to 31 new species records for Alberta, 1 new species for Canada, 1 new species for Western Canada, and 2 new species to science. Diane’s lichen work was proceeded by a diversity of research on taxa including rattlesnakes, red squirrels, oribatid mites, and vascular plants. She is a passionate educator, whether as a park naturalist or a university lecturer. As a result, Diane’s publications include peer-reviewed journal articles on ecology, education, behavioural ecology, and statistical power analyses as well as popular press and newspaper articles. Diane currently is a member of the COSEWIC moss and lichen subcommittee, recently taught the first course dedicated to lichens at the University of Alberta, and is working on a macrolichen flora for Alberta.

photo of Trevor Goward

Trevor Goward is a leading lichenologist in Western Canada who has worked extensively on the taxonomy, ecology and biogeography of macrolichens, having published more than 100 peer-reviewed papers. He served on the COSEWIC lichen subcommittee from 1995 through 2011 and has been curator of lichens at the University of British Columbia since 1988. Between 2008 and 2012, Trevor published a series of 12 essays that reframed lichenology within the new, relational biology (symbiology) now coming into focus. His work was recently featured in Scientific American. Currently he is preparing a book on the epiphytic lichens of northwest North America.