Small Wonders in Spring: A Moss & Lichen Walk with Sue Studlar

Small Wonders in Spring: A Moss & Lichen Walk with Sue Studlar
$35.00

Sunday, April 12 2026, 2:00 - 4:00 pmMeet at ABG Visitor Center (outdoor class)Join Sue Studlar for an exploration of the hidden but beautiful world of bryophytes (mosses and liverworts) and lichens in the Asheville Botanical Garden. Learn to distinguish mosses from liverworts from lichens. Discover how the various growth-forms and common species can be relatively easily recognized, especially if you look in preferred microhabitats. Discuss (as a group) questions such as: How can such tiny plants be so powerful, playing crucial roles in cycling of matter and water, and in providing homes for animals? Why are bryophytes and lichens excellent ecological indicators? Why are they generally inedible to humans yet valuable in traditional and modern medicine? Why is the Botanic Garden so species-rich? Be prepared for the weather and bring a hand lens or magnifying glass if you have one (recommended). You may wish to take notes on the handout provided, which will include species lists, discussion questions, and useful references.Sue Studlar is a botanist specializing in bryophytes and lichens, who taught courses on bryophyte and lichen ecology at Highlands Biological Station (Western Carolina University) in 2024 and in the Environmental Studies Program at UNCA in 2020. For 23 years at West Virginia University Sue taught plant diversity, plant geography, and plant anatomy. She has also taught botany, ecology, and biology classes at Centre College (Kentucky), Mountain Lake Biological Station (Virginia), Oklahoma State University, and Wellesley College (Massachusetts). Her publications focus on Appalachian bryophyte floristics, ecology, and geography. She has a B.A. in Biology from Carleton College (Minnesota) and a Ph.D. in Botany from the University of Tennessee (Knoxville). In Asheville she enjoys leading field trips and workshops, identifying bryophytes for parks and national forests, participating in book clubs, and writing nature columns.

COST: $35 for non-members, ABG members receive 25% off

CLASS SIZE : 12

**ABG Members: to apply your member discount, enter the coupon code: CLASSES25 at the checkout page. **