Lichens are important ecosystem components. However, they are vastly underrepresented in conservation assessments ­­and legal frameworks, especially compared to plants and animals. In the U.S., only two lichens are federally listed under the Endangered Species Act, representing just 0.05% of lichen species in the country. For comparison, 5.5% of plants and 8-10% of birds and mammals are federally listed. As a consequence, the more than 3800 species of lichens in the U.S. remain unprotected, even though many are considered rare, threatened, or endangered by local professionals, state officials, and/or global organizations. At the state level, protection of lichens varies substantially, and most states do not even consider lichens to be eligible for protection status. Of the 21 states that do maintain lichen conservation lists, most include less than 20 species. Although most state-listed species do not enjoy legal protection, their listing status nevertheless increases awareness and sometimes guides land management. Globally, the widely recognized IUCN Red List includes 94 lichens, 65 of which occur in the U.S. However, being listed by IUCN does not automatically trigger protection in the U.S. Alternatively, IUCN listings do provide valuable assessments that not only increase our knowledge of individual species, but also aid evaluations that may lead to legal protection. Increasing awareness and protection of lichens at both state, federal, and global levels will encourage maintenance of biodiversity and thus protect these important ecosystem components.