Ken Wu stands beside a giant redcedar in the Upper Avatar Grove

2012 Predictions – Environment – Ken Wu

While the strength of environmental campaigns vary each year, 2012 should be major. Here are five predictions: 1. The Climate Change Movement will Heat Up 2. Slick Oil Industry PR will Spread to Pipelines 3. Ancient Forest Campaign will Target both B.C. Lib's and NDP 4. The Fight against Fish Farms will go Viral 5. Raw Logs on a Slow Boat to China will be Protested.

Ancient Forest Alliance

Shaw TV: The campaign for Fangorn Forest or the Mossy Maple Rainforest

Conservationists identify and seek to protect Canada's mossiest maple rain forest on Vancouver Island.

The horsehair lichen – which Hansen says resembles Kock's beard – will be known as Bryoria kockiana.

Mr. Arboretum lives on

"At the time, I hadn't paid much attention to what the lichen actually looked like, so I bought it sight unseen," his widow Anne Hansen laughed Wednesday. "Then people said to me, 'Oh my God, that lichen looks like Henry's beard.'" 

Randy Sulyma will have a newly discovered lichen species named in his memory.

A name to remember him by

It began with a story written by Sun reporter Larry Pynn. In the June 17 edition, Pynn told the story of how Trevor Goward, curator of lichens at UBC, discovered two new species of lichen: one in the Hazel-ton area and one in the Clear-water Valley near Wells Gray Provincial Park.

The horsehair lichen – which Hansen says resembles Kock's beard – will be known as Bryoria kockiana.

Lichen legacy

Last week, Hansen found a fitting way to memorialize her late husband. For $4,000, she bought  the scientific naming rights to a newly-discovered lichen. The horsehair lichen – which Hansen says resembles Kock's beard – will be known as Bryoria kockiana.

Horticulturist Henry Kock

New lichen species named for U of G tree guru Henry Kock

GUELPH – A newly-discovered species of lichen will be named in honour of renowned University of Guelph horticulturist Henry Kock, who passed away on Christmas Day 2005. Kock’s wife, Anne Hansen, purchased the scientific naming rights in an online auction earlier this month.  The lichen will be scientifically known as Bryoria Kockiana.  

Thumbs Up!

Thumbs Up To Oystercatcher Girl - a.k.a. Victoria artist Anne Hansen - for a winning $4,000 bid that will give her the right to name a new species of lichen discovered by University of B.C. researcher Trevor Goward, with proceeds to the Ancient Forest Alliance.

Ancient Forest Alliance

Scientists’ names live on in lichens

An auction for the right to name the lichens raised $17,900 for The Land Conservancy and $4,000 for the Ancient Forest Alliance. Artist Anne Hansen, of Victoria, made the winning bid on the hairlike bryoria lichen, which will be known as Bryoria kockiana in memory of her husband, Henry Kock. "Henry was a tireless champion of biodiversity and inconspicuous species like toads, lichens and sedges," Hansen said.

The horsehair lichen – which Hansen says resembles Kock's beard – will be known as Bryoria kockiana.

Santa Claus, Conservation Groups Benefit from ‘Tree Beard’ Lichen Named for Late U of G Plantsman

The new species of horsehair lichen will be called Bryoria kockiana for Henry Kock, former interpretive horticulturist at the U of G Arboretum and a leading authority on native woody plants. He died in 2005 of brain cancer. His wife, Anne Hansen, purchased the scientific naming rights to the lichen this week.

Anne Hansen: A Likin’ For Lichen

She will name the lichen after her deceased husband, Henry Kock, horticulturist and author of Growing Trees from Seed (Firefly Books Ltd, 2008).  The book was completed by his botanical colleagues after his death.  Kock (pronounced “Coke”) was the public face of the Arboretum at the University of Guelph for 20 years.  He died of brain cancer on December 25, 2005.  Hansen moved from Ontario to BC in 2007.