Day 262: "What's the black moss that looks like it's killing all the trees?" Well, my visiting friend, you got "black" right, but it's not a moss and it's not damaging the trees. "Oh, look, mom! I found some bear hair!" No, scout, that didn't come from a bear and it's not hair, although "hair" is part of its name. The correct reply to either of these suppositions is that this is Horsehair Lichen, known scientifically as Bryoria fremontii. Unappetizing as it may look, it is one of very few lichens which are considered edible. As such, it is also called Wila. Named for botanist/explorer John C. Frémont (as was Mount Rainier National Park's Mount Fremont), it is common in the drier subalpine zone where the tree canopy is more open. It does not damage the trees on which it occurs; rather, it takes advantage of the weakened bark structure of trees stressed by heat, cold, drought, or other environmental factors, and thus is more likely to be found on them. It is moderately sensitive to air quality which, given the number of smoky summers we've had in the past decade may be partly to blame for its decline at Paradise.
