by Ryan Fairbanks 

Did you know lichen are? Well, the 4th graders do! Camryn, Becca, and Jolanta from the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park taught the class about lichen.  When algae and fungi work together, they make lichen. Here is a fun way to remember this… Annie Algae and Freddy Fungus took a lichen to each other. Did you know that lichen helps with pollution and water loss in forests? There are 3 types of lichen. Crustose is a thin, crunchy type of lichen, foliose is a leafy type of lichen, and fruticose is hairy and cupped.  There are 766 species including 5 new to science of lichen growing in The Tongass National Forest. Some examples of lichen are lung wart, fairy cups, and old man’s beard.

What are invasive species? An invasive species is a plant that has no enemies, they grow well, animals don’t eat them, and they can choke native plants with a chemical release.  If you’re ever out hiking, look for some invasive species like oxeye daisy, bird vetch, buttercup, reed canary grass, canada thistle, and snapdragon. Native plants are important because they help to balance ecosystems, and they can help pollutants from the air. While you’re out hiking, try to spot some native plants such as fireweed, chocolate lily, devil’s club, siberian daisy, arctic lupine, western bunchberry, and cows parsnip. A big thank you to Camryn, Becca, and Jolanta from the Klondike Gold Rush National Park for teaching the 4th grade class about plants and lichen.