Moss Discovery Hike

Who doesn’t love moss? An emerald green carpet growing on the ground, over rocks, up trees, and down branches is hard to overlook when it accents everything around it. But not all mosses are green. There are red, brown, and golden mosses, too!

Did you know that mosses can grow in the winter under the snow and continue to photosynthesize as long as sunlight shines? The tiny, almost microscopic, leaves are complete unto themselves. They are only one single cell layer thick and do not transport water and nutrients like other plants, but rather absorb water and nutrients directly into the leaf surface by osmosis. Mosses can go dormant when water is unavailable but then rehydrate quickly into their various shades of green.

Mosses, like lichen, are still mysterious to us. Each clump of moss we see is essentially composed of individual leaves, all growing in harmony with each other. Some different species of mosses will grow on or around other species, utilizing the same resources in their micro-habitat; still other mosses are habitat-specific, right down to the substrate they grow on.

On Saturday, April 19, at 10 am, we invite you to join our Library Naturalist at Brickyard Nature Park (759 Concord Road, Crawfordsville) for a hike into the world of mosses. We will learn about mosses as a plant, how they function and reproduce, where they live, and explore what mysteries they have yet to reveal.

If you enjoy the hike and want to discover more, explore “Gathering Moss” by Robin Kimmerer (588.2 Kim), which explains the “natural and cultural history of mosses.” We also have “Moss: From Forest to Garden: A Guide to the Hidden World of Moss” by Ulrica Nordstrom (588.2 Nor) and “Miniature Moss Gardens” by Megumi Oshima (635.9 Osh). Or check out “The Magical World of Moss Gardening” by Annie Martin (635.9 Mar) for tips on how to create your own moss garden at home, whether for your tabletop or in the shade of your yard. There are good suggestions on how to build your personal moss garden.

For questions about our Moss Discovery Hike, please contact the Adult Services department at 765-362-2242 or email the Library Naturalist at smorrissette@cdpl.lib.in.us. Please arrive 15 minutes before the program to sign a participation waiver. Minor children must be accompanied by an adult caregiver and must remain with them during the program. The library is open Monday through Thursday from 9 am to 9 pm, Friday and Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm, and Sunday from 1 pm – 5 pm.