I like to make picture frames from old barn wood. I recently acquired some wood that has lichen on it and thought it would be cool to have some on the frame but do not know whether it would be harmful to humans in a household environment. Also if it isn't I would assume it would maybe dry up and just crumble off or disintegrate or would not last. Any ideas on this. I do not know the name of this lichen, I live in West Central Minnesota and see it all over the granite outcrops, roofs of house, on trees and wood. Thanks for any help.

Rob

It's harmless. I think it's very pretty too. Back in the 60s I remember that there was concern that the lichen of the Arctic Circle was absorbing strontium 90 from bomb testing, and the reindeer were affected. And there was concern about it showing up in breast milk, indirectly.

As for falling off indoors, I think a lot of the smaller ones will stay intact. I brought some 45 year old cedar porch railings indoors with the plan of making something and it didn't crumble off. (I had to burn it though during a freak storm with a very long power outage.)