Whether Lichens Conceal Or Reveal Depends On What You’re Looking For by Ron Tschida Broadcast 9.15.2015 and 9.8 & 9.11.2020 Listen: Hiking along a ridgetop above the wind-rippled surface of Flathead Lake, I approached a rock outcrop. From a distance...
Lichens: Nature’s Weather Instruments by Erica Soon Olsen Broadcast 10.1 & 10.4.2019 Listen: While walking on the Kim Williams trail just outside of Missoula, I found myself noticing the abundant growth of lichens on the cliffs beside the trail. The...
Pixie Cup Lichen by Erin Ebersberger Broadcast 7.1 & 7.6.2018 Listen: Lying on my stomach on the fringes of the forest, my view is perfect of a colony of tiny lichens. They are perched on top of a rock outcrop, beyond which lies a majestic view...
Truffles, Trees, and — Squirrels? by Sue Reel Broadcast 10.4.2016 Listen: Walking through the woods recently, I saw a red squirrel digging in the litter of the forest floor. I assumed it was burying a pine cone, but on closer inspection I found a piece of...
Story and photos by Tim Wheeler You’ve probably noticed them: dangling above a forest trail, covering rocks atop an alpine peak, colonizing fence posts and the bark of urban trees. These bizarre shapes and colors that decorate our world are a group of organisms,...
