Transplanting tree lungwort

Before the current tram depot was built in Tampere, the site where it was built was home to a regionally threatened lichen, tree lungwort (Lobaria pulmonaria). In 2016, members of Wild Zone transplanted it to safety to a nearby area in Southern Hervanta.

We have been checking yearly how the lichen attaches on the new host trees. We noticed some attaching occurring already within three years of the transfer. The lichens had attached properly on the trees only in the year 2023, and we removed the coated wires holding them in place.

There were barely any previous documented cases on transplanting tree lungwort. The members of Wild Zone familiarized themselves with a case from Virrat before implementing the transfer in Tampere. Later, the members have also tried growing tree lungwort in Tesoma forest garden.

Wild Zone implemented the tree lungwort transplants in cooperation with the City of Tampere.

A follow-up visit in September 2019. Three of the transplanted lichen clumps had clearly attached themselves on the new surface. The four other clumps had only attached somewhat or not at all.

The vitality of the lichens was tested by spraying water on them

Follow-up in September 2017. The construction of the tram depot had begun, and the tree lungworts would have been destroyed if they hadn't been transferred.

We tested the vitality of the transplanted lichens by spraying water on them. All transplanted lichens went from dry and grey to bright green and soft.

Transplanting tree lungworts 20/7/2016

Here is Wild Zone’s account of the transplanting process in Finnish as a pdf file (7 pages).