Lichen lovers should look for signs of life among the dead – Positive News

This summer, a new type of search for the afterlife is taking place in English cemeteries, where citizen scientists are being asked to record lichens growing on gravestones.

Churchyards and cemeteries are a haven for these slow-growing and complex life forms, which form a symbiotic partnership of algae and fungal filaments. They are a keystone species in many ecosystems, serving as a source of food and aiding in soil formation and nutrient cycling.

Around 2,000 species have been identified in the UK, but their habitats are under threat from development and land-use change. Over a third of these species have been found in cemeteries, where old stonework – from boundary walls and gravestones to the churches themselves – provides an undisturbed and pollution-free haven. Many species are rarely found elsewhere.

These wonderful species remind us that cemeteries are places for the living, not just the dead

All credit goes to the Church of England for initiating this unique nature count, which took place as part of a week of events celebrating all creatures great and small. Their Churches Count on Nature project has recorded more than 37,000 wildlife records over the past three years and coincides with the annual Love Your Burial Ground Week, which starts on Saturday and aims to showcase the heritage of churchyards and build community.

The Bishop of Norwich, Graham Usher – the Anglican Bishop for Environmental Affairs – told Positive News: “Last year I particularly enjoyed learning about the colourful, rare lichens that grow on gravestones. These wonderful species are all part of God’s rich creation and remind us that cemeteries are places of the living, not just the dead.”

Main image: K Mitch Hodge