A unique type of citizen search for life after death starts this summer in English burial grounds, with citizen scientists being asked to record lichens found growing on gravestones. These slow-growing and complex lifeforms are symbiotic partnerships of algae living in filaments of fungi, and are a keystone species in many ecosystems, serving as food sources, helping with soil formation and nutrient cycling. Some 2,000 varieties have been identified in Britain, but habitats are under threat from development and land-use changes. Over a third of these lichens were found in churchyards, where ancient stonework provides an undisturbed and pollution-free sanctuary.
These churchyards are places of the living, not just the dead. Last year, during the church environment week, the Church of England began the “Churches Count on Nature” project, which has yielded more than 37,000 wildlife records up to this point and coincides with the “Love Your Burial Ground Week,” which aims to showcase churchyard heritage and increase community connection. The Bishop of Norwich, Graham Usher – the Church of England’s lead bishop for environmental affairs – said, “These wonderful species are all part of God’s rich creation, reminding us that churchyards are places of the living, not just the dead.”
The unique nature count will have citizen scientists zooming in on the lichen in churchyards and encourage wider community connection to the environment. These plants provide a haven for various species, and the need arises that their habitats should be protected. Citizens may not have professional training in the study of plant genetics; however, their observations and efforts can play a vast role in protecting the environment.
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