Lichens can be found hanging in long colourful wisps from trees and growing on rocks and branches in Kamloops and the Okanagan, and the little organisms are remarkable for a variety of reasons.Lichens come in all different colours and forms, and have existed for a millennia, due to some unique traits, and they are a valuable part of forest ecosystems.A lichen isn’t a plant, it’s a combination of a fungus and algae that work together, with the fungus providing the structure and the algae doing the photosynthesis, according to Island Nature.The organisms don’t need roots to survive, just adequate light and moisture so they can be found living on tree trunks, rocks and the ground.The remarkable organisms can survive at high elevations in wet and dry conditions. They can also reproduce both sexually and asexually, increasing their odds of survival.There are at least 1,300 species of lichens in the province and they have an important role in our forest ecosystems.Lichens hold and retain water which prevents runoff…