We were delighted to welcome Scottish Land & Estates and some of its members to visit the estate in April for a “Walk and Talk” event about Temperate Rainforest Management and its habitats.  Dr Oliver Moore, Lichen and Bryophyte Specialist for Plantlife, gave as an insight into his extensive knowledge of lichens and bryophytes, and gave us a close look at some of those found on the estate.

Lichens are made up of two partners, an alga and a fungus.  You can find lichens in many different shapes, colours, sizes and even smells! Scotland is internationally important for lichens, we have over 1,850 species thriving here thanks to our wet and mild climate – and few places pack more species in than the west coast’s temperate rainforests like those we have on Argyll Estates.

Bryophytes is the collective name for mosses and liverworts, which are two of the oldest groups of land plants

Dr Moore was thrilled to see the variety of lichens and bryophytes thriving in our woodland, and noted the presence of a few particularly special species including Norwegian Specklebelly (Pseudocyphellaria norvegica).  Other species identified included Normandina pulchella, Peltigera collina and Collema fasciculare.

You can spot lichens very easily on trees all around the estate and beyond in Argyll, so why not take a closer look at them the next time you take a walk around our beautiful county.