AN old Exmoor National Park fingerpost has been put on display at the third attempt in the Natural History Museum, London, after it was found to be covered in 12 different and rare lichens.

The post features in an exhibition called ‘Fixing Our Broken Planet’ as a prime example of a man-made item recolonised by nature and an item recovered from an area with clean air.

The museum has been working with Exmoor National Park Authority for some time to select the best exhibit.

It sent renowned lichen specialist Pat Wolseley to study the species growing on Exmoor’s old and iconic signposts.

ENPA senior public rights of way and access officer Sue Applegate said it took three attempts before a fingerpost could successfully be displayed.

Ms Applegate said: “On the first post we organised for the Natural History Museum, the lichens did not like conditions and change of location and immediately perished.

“The second post was, unfortunately, stolen, but thankfully the third post is best example yet, so it all worked out in the end.”

The fingerpost, which was put up near Trentishoe Common by ranger Tim Parish, in April, 2010, was collected by the museum’s lichen curator Gothamie Weerakoon and taken to London, to be featured in the exhibition.

Ms Applegate said: “There are currently over 3,000 wooden fingerposts on Exmoor and a considerable number of them are home to the many species of lichen to be found in this area.

“We managed to spare one that was reaching the end of its life, so we could share the lichens’ beauty and offer an example of nature-colonised man-made object for visitors to the Natural History Museum.

“The aim is to help educate people through the exhibition, which explores nature-based solutions that can help us create a more sustainable world.

“These particular lichens have been ‘frozen in time’ by specialists at the museum for educational reasons.

“The museum were very grateful and funded a new signpost, which hopefully will also attract more lichen species over years to come.”

Exmoor ranger Charlotte Wray, who helped in the recovery of the post, said: “We are so proud to produce our own fingerposts on Exmoor.

“They are milled from oak or chestnut which has grown in Exmoor woodlands and the timber is a by-product of our own woodland management, such as from fallen wood through storm damage.

“Some of the lichens growing on this fingerpost indicate the high air quality on Exmoor, which is made possible through the lack of pollution and the presence of these highly functioning woodland ecosystems.

“It is such a joy to help tell the story of Exmoor, and we look forward to visiting the museum to see how the skilled conservators have gone about preserving these unique specimens.”

Anybody who wants to help support nature, access, and heritage projects on Exmoor, which was designated as a national park in 1954 and became Europe’s first International Dark Sky Reserve, can find out more by visiting the ENPA website.