Taking a Likin' to the Lichens of SLO County

Join Michael Mulroy for an overview of our regional lichen biota and their important contributions to habitats and ecosystems. His presentation will cover what lichens are, their structures and habitats where they are found. After a slide presentation there will be a walk around the garden area to look for and at lichens. Michael moved to San Luis Obispo County in 2019 to pursue an M.S. in Biological Sciences at Cal Poly, which he completed in February 2023 as a member of the Geolecology Lab headed by Professor Nishi Rajakaruna. His M.S. research focused on lichen communities of serpentine rocks and soils. Prior to his SLO life, he spent six years working as a biologist in the San Francisco Bay Area, and more recently completed two years of service as a Peace Corps Volunteer in beautiful Panamá. Michael currently works locally as a Biologist for Althouse and Meade, Inc. and continues to plug away at lichen identification and community ecology research. When he is not admiring lichens, Michael enjoys reading, birding, and being in the ocean.