Boulder’s Crown Jewel: the incredibly diverse lichen biota of OSMP & foothills

Jacob Watts will discuss the OSMP three year research program which has attempted to comprehensively document the lichen biota of the Front Range foothills of Boulder and surrounding counties for the first time via extensive specimen collection, morphological taxonomy, and DNA barcoding when necessary. We have discovered a diverse lichen biota beyond our wildest imaginations and delimited exceptional lichen habitats deserving of the utmost conservation & preservation. Our work continues throughout the Front Range and across the state.