Join us in coastal eastern Maine for a week-long seminar on lichens, biofilms, and stone, led by Judy Jacob (formerly the of the National Park Service and Annie Evankow (Drexel University). To sign up, click here.

Maine’s rocky shorelines and inland outcroppings are rich with diverse lichen and biofilm covers. Buildings made with granite from local quarries host lichens and biofilms, as do grave markers of granite, marble, slate, and sandstone from other New England states and foreign countries. In this seminar, we will study the physical, chemical, and ecological relationships between lichens, biofilms, and stone.

Lectures will cover basic lichen morphology and species identification; biofilm morphology; the role of lichens and biofilms in the environment; basic geology; the history of stone quarrying and working; and the history and practice of stone preservation. Field trips are planned for forest and shore environments, a granite quarry, and local cemeteries. We will examine lichens, biofilms, and stones outdoors and in the laboratory. As a class project, participants will compile a checklist of the lichen species found during field trips.

We expect participants to represent a wide variety of disciplines and avocations; the pursuit of individual interests will be encouraged. While prior knowledge of lichens, biofilms, or stone will be useful for this seminar, it is not necessary.

For information on costs and accommodations click here. There are tuition discounts for signing up early, and students automatically get 15% discount off tuition and accommodations—upped to 30% with a letter of recommendation from a faculty member. Syllabus available by request. for a link to the flyer with the instructor bios, click here.