Last week we received our research permit to work in Olympic National Park! This week we headed out to our first site along the Staircase Rapids Trail and were successful in locating Pseudocyphellaria rainierensis. Thanks to a tip from one of research team members and former Evergreen grad Franny Waldear we were able to collect more data and tissue for our research. National Parks serve as refugia for the species and habitats that they protect. We are excited to have the opportunity to conduct surveys and investigate the population genetic structure of P. rainierensis populations within these refugia.

Dr. Calabria looking over some Pseudocypellaria rainierensis and Stephen Sharrett collecting tissue for population genetic analyses on the Staircase Rapids Trail near Hoodsport, WA. (Photo courtesy of A. Restrepo)
Pseudocyphellaria rainierensis on the Staircase Rapids Trail near Hoodsport, WA. (Photos by S. Sharrett)