Boreal Felt conservation in Nova Scotia. Brad Toms, MTRI What’s a lichen???

Small simple things

Chromista (Diatoms) Protozoa Bacteria Bigger more complicated things

Animals Fungi

Blue Green Lichenized Algae fungi

They are a combination of a + a Cyanobacteria or an Algae or both What do they do? •Photosynthesize. • Get what they need from the air and from rainwater •Primary colonizers after disturbance (help to make the first soil nutrients for plants) •Food source for animals •Nest material for birds •Indicators of air pollution •NOT parasites of trees

Boreal Felt Lichen •Cyanolichen about 2 inches across •Felt-like surface •Red apothecia (reproductive bodies) on the surface •Preferred habitat is on north facing slopes, close to wetlands in mature Balsam Fir/Maple stands. Also generally on the north side of the tree within 25km of the coast • Found on tree with the liverwort asagrayana and the lichen Coccocarpia palmicola (except 1 site). •Ground is dominated with sphagnum moss and Cinnamon Fern Boreal Felt Lichen (conservation context) • Two terrestrial species in Eastern Canada listed as Critically endangered by IUCN.

Eskimo Curlew is for all intensive purposes extinct

Boreal Felt Lichen exists at ~28 sites in Nova Scotia Timeline

• 1980-1996: Maass 46 sites known • 2006: 1 site of those 46 sites left • 2006: Model created to map potential habitat • 2006-2012 lichenologist Tom Neily finds~ 3-5 new sites per year.

Boreal Felt Lichen • 2008 MTRI begins to train naturalists and biologists on lichen biology and identification with Frances Anderson and Tom Neily and Troy McMullen through the Habitat Stewardship Program • 2009: MTRI enters agreement with Newpage Corp to survey potential habitat before harvest. • Tom finds “The supertree” (51 thalli) • Plan is to increase the # of eyes in the forest and develop similar partnerships with other companies Habitat Model example Habitat Model example Threats to Boreal Felt Lichen

Threats listed in the recovery strategy include: • Air pollution and acid rain • Tree harvesting • Land Development • Climate change • Lack of knowledge • Slug damage 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Historic Sites Historic and Current Sites Mapping •No shift in range/retraction over the last 30-40 years as far as we know. Acid rain and air pollution likely the great threat. •Climate change could still pose a threat because it is at the southern edge of it’s range.

Sites in southern New Brunswick have been lost (Campobello Island) BFL Gains and Losses

Some whole site losses. Mostly slug damage and unknown causes Challenges

o Decline of forest industry. Partnerships somewhat confusing and fluid. Makes planning difficult. o Mining industry working near BFL sites o Integrating the conservation of other rare into existing program o Working with land trusts and DOE to identify areas for securement or special management. o Lichens aren’t charismatic macrofauna but they’re just as important Vole Ears (Erioderma molissiumum) in Kejimkujik Seaside COSEWIC assessed Endangered in 2009 listed in 2011. ~20 sites in NS with~ 118 mature lichen.

Loss of 80% of sites from the 1980’s

Vole Ears (Erioderma mollissimum...or molly) was discovered in 2011 in the backcountry of Kejimkujik Seaside.

More areas left to search.

MTRI and Lichens

Since 2007 MTRI has been helping to educate people about lichens through courses, field days and outreach materials

MTRI lichenologist Tom Neily has been searching for Boreal Felt Lichen and other rare lichens and mentoring volunteers and biologists in lichen identification. Rare Lichens Project Partners

NSDOE NSDNR NewPage CWS NS Museum Resolute (Bowater) Northern Pulp (Abercrombie) NCC NSNT Dr. Troy McMullen So are you likin’ lichens yet? Questions?