This page is about the Lichens for Absolute Beginners free on-line ‘zoom’ based course for beginners.
Also available for beginners on this website are:-
- The "Learn the Language" free self teaching unit which explains the meanings of terms using in lichenology,
- The "Species Descriptions" - simple sheets with pictures. There are now (Dec 2023) exactly 100 of these, describing in simple terms common lichens you may find.
Lichens for Absolute Beginners is a free on-line ‘zoom’ based course for beginners.
The course comprises a series of approx. 12 face-to-face zoom-based sessions with a group of 6 participants led by a tutor. Each session of 1.5 hours is structured, interactive with some post session activities.
Typically, several such groups run each year. Most start in October/November but a group(s) may start in the following January, should there be sufficient interest.
The target audience is the absolute beginner at lichens, although this may also suit those with some limited experience.
The aim of the course is to cover the ‘skills and knowledge of the beginner stage lichenologist’ as detailed on the BLS website page "Skills and Knowledge"
If you are interested in attending such a group or would like some further information, please email Judith Allinson at zoom-improvement@britishlichensociety.org.uk
Five LABS groups started this November 2024. Three more groups are starting in January. As of 8 December 2024, these are all now full, including the January ones.. If you wish, put your name down for the one June 2025 LABs group (which is filling up quickly) or for next October 2025 when several new groups will start LABs groups.
Meanwhile you might like to consider working through the free BLS "Learn the language" online self guided course on this website, or attend the "to pay for" four sessions of the Field Studies Council Online course Discovering Lichens with Petra Vergunst
Post-LABS groups
Several of the beginner zoom groups have continued meeting as self-help Identification based and project groups called Post-LABs groups.
As part of the progression route, there is an intermediate stage residential course (LEAF-1) This stands for Lichen Extension and Fieldwork. This is designed to run approx. 12 months after a LABs course to facilitate transition to the next stage. This course is also available to those who have not attended a LABs course but have mastered the Skills and Knowledge of the Beginner Stage Lichenology. The next one is planned for Sept 2024. Could you help organise another?
The Lichen Chat and Improvement Group (LCIG) is a fortnightly zoom group meeting which Judith Allinson started during covid lockdown (2020) and is still running.
This was for all levels of lichenologist but tended to focus on those of intermediate level. The LABs groups arose from this to meet the needs of beginners who attended.
We are currently on the fifth year of the LCIG and LABs courses with the 29th group starting in January 2025 and the 30th in June 2025
Read more about other Zoom groups organised by members of the BLS.