Get involved

NEW! A Quest for Aquatics - Garden centre survey 2008

Take part in our survey 'A Quest for Aquatics' by visiting your local garden centre, pet shop or other retail outlet and help us to find out which pond plants are being sold throughout Scotland and how they are labelled. It only takes a few minutes and the results of the survey will help Plantlife work with retailers to find and supply the right pond plants and label them effectively. Download our Quest for Aquatics survey form, e-mail us for a copy or phone us on 01786 479382.

Once you have filled in your findings for your local garden centre or other retail outlet, you can post the form back or e- mail us your results.

Some of Scotland's most iconic lochs and river catchments are already affected by non-native invasive plants, threatening our native flora and other wildlife. More than 60% of Scotland's non-native plant species get into the wild by escaping from gardens and garden ponds, and we hope that by using the information from this survey and working together with retailers that this threat can be reduced. Do help us by taking part in this survey - thank you.

Flora Guardians

Flora Guardians surveying
©Claire Sorley/BRISC

Invasive non-native species on vulnerable sites are one focus of work for Flora Guardians in Scotland. Invasive species monitoring concentrates on Rhododendron ponticum, Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) and Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica) at the moment but will expand to other invasive non native species soon.

Flora Guardians also monitor Back from the Brink species for Plantlife Scotland. They are allocated sites close to where they live, where they can monitor a Back from the Brink species on a regular basis. Flora Guardians are committed to monitoring species or habitats on an annual basis and are fully trained by Plantlife, in the field on a one-to-one or small group basis. Their records provide us with an early warning system for any adverse changes in habitat quality and species quantity.

Pond Alert!

Help Plantlife Scotland raise awareness of the problems that invasive aquatic species are causing and help to encourage people to buy native plants for their ponds. This project involves Plantlife Scotland working with people and communities to raise awareness of the issues of non-native, invasive pond plants.

These plants are an increasing problem in Scotland, where species such as New Zealand Pigmyweed can escape from garden ponds and take over wild habitats, with a knock-on effect for native plants and animals.

Plantlife has published a series of six leaflets on different aspects of our Pond Alert! campaign, giving more information about species to avoid, suitable alternatives, how to create a bog garden and other topics related to managing your pond. Go to the Plantlife Scotland publications page by clicking here for details. Volunteers could be involved in distributing these leaflets to local information points such as libraries in their area - please contact us for more details if you would like to do this.

Also, if you have a pond in your garden or know of community ponds, you could try to find out whether they have any of the non-native invasive species mentioned in the leaflets.

Download the Pond Alert! Managing your garden pond to protect Scotland's wildlife leaflet here (PDF 449 kb)

Joining a community group responsible for management of a pond would be the main way of being involved with Pond Alert! this year. In future years there will be further survey opportunities for individuals to get involved with - watch this space!

Other activities

If you have less time available but would still like to help Plantlife's work in Scotland, we attend a number of fairs each year and are delighted to have the help of volunteers in manning the stands for a couple of hours. Also, if you have additional skills, such as photography or IT, please get in touch with Su Cooper to find out how you could help.

Plantlife Scotland's volunteer programme is funded by Scottish Natural Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

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