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Researchers from the New Brunswick Nature Foundation are hunting for four different species of lichen and have found one – in an unusual place.
Fringed scaly lichen, scientifically known as Heteroderma squamosus, was found between Alma and Riverside Albert, east of Fundy National Park.
“To my knowledge, this is the most eastern recorded sighting of the species to date,” said Ilana Urquhart, conservation coordinator at the Nature Trust.
A lichen is a symbiotic partnership between a fungus and a photosynthetic partner, such as an algae. Lichens often appear asTrees grow yellow or green crusty patches that look almost like moss.
Finding lichens takes some effort, Urquhart said, but they can usually be found on rocks and trees.
They have been found in the past west of Fundy along the coast and several times on Grand Manan, she said.
“They live on almost every surface they can find,” Urquhart said. “The ones that grow on trees are really just growing there. They have nothing to do with the tree itself. They just use it as a surface to live on.”
Urquhart said the fringed squamous lichen, as well as others they are looking for – rugose pebble lichen, blue felt lichen and white-bordered pebble lichen – are particularly difficult to find.
All species were assessed for their rarity in the province. Rugose shingles are endangered, white-edged and scaly fringe are threatened, and blue felt is of particular concern.
Urquhart said lichens can be a good indicator of a healthy environment that can support many species.
“We may not see directly why they are important, but they are often found in really rich and biodiverse areas.”
The biggest threat to lichens is habitat loss, which can be caused by logging and harvesting, Urquhart said.
She said there wasn't a lot of observational data about these lichens, so The Nature Trust results will be shared with other researchers and become part of the province's dataset.
The Nature Fund received funding from Environment Climate Change Canada through the Habitat Stewardship Program, which supports projects that work with species at risk.
Researchers from the Nature Trust have been searching for lichens since 2022, which involved finding landowners who have suitable habitat for the lichens.
Urquhart said they can be found in cedar swamp, maple swamp and hardwood habitats.
She said they are targeting the Charlotte County region, Wolastoq, also known as the St. John River, and the offshore islands of the Bay of Fundy.
The Nature Foundation is still looking for blue felt lichen and knows it is present in Charlotte County and Grand Manan.
