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OPAL, which seems to be an acronym for Open Air Laboratories is, so far as I understand it, a community based science project supported by the Big Lottery Fund. One of the first projects to be undertaken is the Soil Quality project based on earthwork activity. Following that will be a project on air quality based on lichen identification but only using a small number of specific air quality indicators which can be easily identified.

My role is to enable a young graduate from York University accompanied by two or three other PhD students to be able to correctly identify a number of key species so that they in turn can pass that abilty to young volunteers taking part in the project.

On a somewhat different aspect, Dr. Barbara Hilton, chairman of the Education and Promotion committee of the British Lichen Society, has urged me to make the results of the 1500 or so churchyard lichen surveys I hold, which cover 24 Vice Counties from N. Lincs to S. Scotland, available to the Wildlife Trusts concerned and has emailed them to that effect. I always knew that someone would find them useful!

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