Wildlife in the garden - lichen

One of the most beneficial resources for wildlife may be growing in your garden, with no effort or maintenance at all required from you.  Lichen is considered one of the best things in the garden for biodiversity - it provides food for wildlife, habitats for invertebrates and nesting material for birds and mammals.

But what is lichen?  Lichen isn’t one single organism, in fact it’s a partnership between a fungus and an algae and/or cyanobacteria.  There are more than 2000 species of lichens in the UK, some of which are very rare, and they come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and textures.  It’s the perfect time of year to spot them, as bare branches can reveal lichens living on the trunks and stems of trees and shrubs; they’re also found on paths, paving, walls and even on exposed soil.

Lichens come in all kinds of weird and wonderful shapes and colours - it’s definitely worth taking a closer look to fully appreciate their strange beauty.  One of the most widespread lichens you might spot is the Usnea species, also known as ’old man’s beard’.  As its common name suggests, it’s bushy and yellow-green or grey-green and is often found on birch trees, as it likes acidic bark.  Although they can seem to be taking over some trees, lichens aren’t parasitic and don’t do them any harm. In fact, they are indicative of a healthy environment and clean air.

Lichens thrive in undisturbed areas and ancient woodland, where old bark provides the perfect conditions for certain species.  Woods and gardens rich in lichens support many kinds of wildlife, so if you spot some fascinating species of lichen in your garden, or in the woods and parks near your home, you can be satisfied that it’s a place high in biodiversity and low in pollution.