Lichens Excursion, 16 August 2024: A visit to the Eifel (Wöllersberg near Lissingen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany)

Thae Eifel (Wöllersberg near Lissingen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany) is where outstanding and rare lichens for this part of Europe grow on lava rock. This area was studied in detail by Aptroot & Zielman (Herzogia 2014), and usually epiphytic species, such as Lobaria amplissima, Anaptychia ciliaris, Vahliella leucophaea, Gyalecta ulmi and Melanelia subargentifera can be found on rock. Other rare species for the regions are present such as Peltigera leucophlebia, Peltigera malacea and various Ramalina species.

Due to the rarity of some of these species, and of macrolichens in general in Western Europe, it will not be possible to collect lichens during the trip.

In addition to observing lichens, we will observe traces of the volcano activity in various sites in the surroundings, including climbing a tower to see the whole landscape, and examine tephra and lava flows

This excursion is organized by the the University of Liège by Prof. N. Magain, Prof. hon. E. Sérusiaux, E. Lebreton.

Important information:

• Date: Friday, August 16th
• Pre-registration is required due to limited availability – you should add the field trip to your registration package when you register for the Congress
• 8:30 AM: departure from Maastricht
• 10:30 AM: arrival at Wöllersberg near Lissingen. Lichen observation
• 1 PM: lunch
• 2 PM: departure for Maria Laach and the Laacher See
• 3 PM: Visit of Maria Laach and the Laacher See, including observation of the landscape from a tower, observation of tephra and a site with massive lava flow
• 5:30 PM: return to Maastricht.
• 7:30 PM: back in Maastricht.
• Transportation from and to Maastricht is included
• Lunch Box is included
• Cost per person will be updated soon

For more information: Nicolas.Magain@uliege.be

Mushroom Excursion: A one-day Mycological Excursion in Eastern Belgium

Liège is the major city of Wallonia (the French-speaking part of Belgium, located 30 km South of Maastricht on the river Meuse, at the North-Eastern corner of a region of old (Hercynian) mountains occupying most of the area between the Meuse and the Rhine. The geology is varied with a core of old hard acidic rocks called the Ardennes in Belgium. The altitude is close to 700 m in Belgium and slightly more on the German side, which is enough to show altitudinal contrast in the vegetation and make it a point where rain coming from the Atlantic or the North Sea is abundant. It is a cross-road of vegetation from oceanic, continental, and even Southern and boreal vegetation.
The itinerary will allow us to see some vegetation on limestone in the Ourthe valley, at the beginning and the end of the excursion, a peat bog site in one of the highest points in the Ardennes, the “plateau des Tailles” (about 650 m. ). This was an important battlefield during the “battle of the Bulge” of WWII, eighty years ago this year.
The following stop will be in the woods of the Bastogne Plateau (“the Bulge”) to search for fungi in deciduous forest and spruce plantations , where “GI foxholes” are often still visible.
From Bastogne we will go West to Marche in the Famenne depression that borders the Ardennes on the North-West. This depression is due to the erosion of shales that can hold carbonated fossils and are the site of oak-dominated forests rich in mycorrhizal fungi. The stop in this area will be near a village called Biron, where Prof. F. Darimont, pioneer of mycosociology in the forties and fifties, and other mycologists from Liège have made many discoveries including the northernmost location of Amanita caesarea in Western Europe.
On the way back two short stops will allow the sighting of ancient monuments, the covered alley (Neolithic) at Wéris and the medieval castle at Lognes.

This excursion is organized by the Botanical Society in Liège (Société Botanique de Liège) and will be guided by its president Hon. Prof. V. Demoulin from the University of Liège.

Important information:

• Date: Saturday, August 17th
• Pre-registration is by 1 June 2024, and is required due to limited availability.
• For registration and more information, please email socbotlg@hotmail.com, with a copy to V.Demoulin@uliege.be .
• To make the necessary arrangements, participants must firmly confirm their attendance as soon as possible.
• The group will be guided by Hon. Prof. V. Demoulin from the University of Liège.
• Departure will be from Liege Central Station (Les Guillemins), one of the most renowned railway stations designed by the architect Calatrava.
• The time of departure could be adjusted for the timetable of the day for trains from Maastricht (one every hour).
• According to the number of participants travel will be by shared cars, rented mini-buses or a large bus, with shared cost.
• Given the proximity between Maastricht and Liege, it may be that some congress attendees may wish to remain in their hotel in Maastricht for a few more days. If they prefer to move to Liege, the society could search for accommodation there if asked to (same mails as above).