‘Lichens are a pioneer species which enable all life — conserving them is vital’

Sanjiv Chaturvedi works in the Indian Forest Service and is a Magsaysay awardee. Speaking to Times Evoke, he discusses a unique lichen park in Munsiyari, Uttarakhand — and why protecting this species is so important:


I work in the Uttarakhand forest department which has a research wing devoted to conservation — some years ago, we found most conservation work focused on charismatic species, like tigers and elephants. Plants were neglected and lower plants, like lichen, ferns and mosses, were almost entirely overlooked. This is despite Uttarakhand being very rich in these species. In 2018, we decided to develop a park devoted entirely to lichen — Munsiyari in Kumaon was chosen for this, having over 130 lichen species.


FRIENDS FOREVER: Lichen, which attract pollinators, live with hosts like brown oak. Picture Courtesy: S. Chaturvedi

Beginning in 2019, we collected about 100 species for the park and developed an interpretation centre as well, with displays on lichen — these are ancient organisms found from the Jurassic era — alongside models, poems and drawings. The project took three years to complete and the park has been made free of charge for government school students in Uttarakhand, so they can learn about this wonderful branch of our natural heritage.



COVERED IN WONDERS: Uttarakhand’s Munsiyari Park has a rich trove of lichens. Picture Courtesy: S. Chaturvedi

Every species on Earth has its own unique purpose — our existence is like an interwoven chain. If one link is removed, a great deal collapses — the destruction of one tree, for instance, impacts many birds, insects and pollinators which are crucial for the crops humans consume. This is why showcasing a quiet but indispensable species like lichen is so important.



YOU STAR! Everniastrum cirrhatum is used in spices and sustains musk deer. Picture Courtesy: S. Chaturvedi

There are three broad categories of lichen — foliose, which are flat and leaf-like, crustose which form a layer, and fruticose which resemble minishrubs. Lichen (such as Parmotrema tinctorum and Ramalina sinensis respectively) are used as spices and in perfumes, particularly utilised in the famous perfumeries of Kannauj, while some are used in medicines for asthma and fractures. Recent research shows some lichen have biochemicals which can treat cancers. We’ve displayed many kinds at Munsiyari, including lichen which help animals — some are consumed by musk deer in winter, when little else grows (this is similar to the Arctic reindeer which eat these, after whom ‘reindeer moss’ is named), while others are used by birds and woolly flying squirrels to pad their nests with.


BRANCHING OUT: Usnea orientalis, used in medicines, often grows on twigs. Picture Courtesy: S. Chaturvedi

Lichen are nature’s emblem of coexistence. Formed via a symbiotic relationship between fungus and algae, they resemble a micro-ecosystem and with lower plants like mosses, they attract insects, birds, snails, frogs and little animals needing food, habitat and shelter. Importantly, lichen are ‘pioneer species’ or among the most ancient organisms on Earth — they are the first to appear on barren rocks, in deserts and icy terrain and after disturbances like landslides. Between six to eight percent of Earth’s surface is covered by lichen, with over 15,000 known species. These weather rocks, creating soil — the basis of all life. They also enhance soil chemically, releasing minerals from rocks. They thus play a foundational role in enabling all life. In deserts, lichen form a crust over the surface, retaining moisture — only in such spots do desert trees grow. These are also bioindicators of pollution — not having roots or structures like other plants, they depend on the atmosphere for air and water. The quality of our ambience thus reflects in the diversity of lichens.

In Uttarakhand, lichen is locally called ‘jhoolaghas’ or ‘patthar ke phool’ as it often appears on rocks. It offers a source of income — in Kumaon, some villages collect lichen to sell to traders for its many uses. But lichen face threats now — senior lichenologists who helped develop our park explained that lichen found in alpine regions could be affected by growing climate change. Species migration is at work now, with global warming forcing animals and treelines to move to higher, cooler altitudes — lichen at 4,000 metres and in Arctic regions could be affected. Deforestation also impacts these — if host trees are destroyed, so are the lichen on them. Similarly, pollution inhibits lichen in urban areas — traffic produces nitrogen which damages the algae that makes food for lichen.






I trained in engineering but I believe in the power of nature. Uttarakhand has three major agro-climatic zones — tropical in Kumaon and Garhwal’s plains, temperate in Mussoorie and Ranikhet and some alpine areas too. We are also the meeting point of the eastern and western Himalayas. Serving amidst such extraordinary nature, I feel it is vital for policy makers to have indepth ecological knowledge — we should know the links between species, access scientific research on the impacts of losing biodiversity, learn about habitats which shouldn’t be disturbed, etc. This will help balance sustainable growth with nature, the fount of all well-being. I hope we can inspire such awareness in young people too who fervently want to conserve nature now. Uttarakhand’s Munsiyari Lichen Park is one step in this direction.