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We have led what is considered to be the first recorded translocation of an epiphytic moss in Scotland to help save the species.
Aspen Bristle-moss was once thought extinct, and although it was rediscovered at a few sites in Scotland in the early 2000s, it is still very rare.
So when a tree that was holding the largest population of Aspen Bristle-moss in the country fell, it meant that soon a huge portion of this incredible species would be lost.
Our conservation team in the Cairngorms, led by Senior Ecological Advisor Sam Jones, jumped into action and started exploring how they could help save it.
This led to what is believed to be the first-ever documented translocation, where a species is taken from it’s home and moved to a new safe habitat, of an epiphytic moss, which is a moss that grows on a living plant such as a tree, without harming it.
Without intervention, the moss on this tree would die as the bark started to decompose and other species moved in to outcompete it. This meant it was a race against time to save the Aspen Bristle-moss that was on the tree – but it also gave the perfect opportunity to explore whether this technique could be used to help increase the population of the whole species.
We have been working with Aspen Bristle-moss as part of our Resilience and Recovery, Helping Rare Species Adapt to a Changing World project.
Last year, thanks to training we organised to ID the rare moss, numbers at one site where it is found in Scotland, tripled in just one afternoon.
Continuing our work, we wanted to protect the moss on the fallen tree, but also test whether translocation might be a viable method in the future, to help the species recover.
With support from the landowner Wildland and help from a variety of national and international moss experts, we tested 4 experimental methods of translocation across 19 Aspen trees within 2 km of the fallen tree: attaching bark, netting moss, placing it into small drilled holes and wiping fragments directly onto bark.
We will be closely monitoring the site to see which approach works best.
The trial also highlights a wider problem: much of Scotland’s Aspen resource is ageing, and in many places there has been little natural replacement because of grazing pressure.
Even where young Aspen are now returning, it will take decades for those trees to support specialist species such as Aspen Bristle-moss, and it is crucial to protect the scarce mid-aged Aspen trees
We hope the results of this trial will help guide future conservation of rare mosses and Aspen woodland.
Work on this species is funded by NatureScot, the Cairngorms National Park Authority and the Swire Charitable Trust.
With thanks to Simon Dures for the photography and videography.
Senior Ecological Advisor Sam Jones testing different translocation methods.
Multiple methods were trialled.
Tweezers were used to move the tiny parts of the rare moss.
The fallen tree was home to Scotland’s largest population of the rare Aspen Bristle-moss.
It is believed to be the first ever translocation of its kind
We have led what is considered to be the very first translocation of an epiphytic moss in Scotland to help save the species.
This exciting new project will create more possibilities to save Twinflower populations.
Thanks to Training to ID a rare moss species, numbers at one site where it is found in Scotland, tripled in just one afternoon!
We have teamed up with partners including the RSPB to build a brand new plant nursery in the Cairngorms in the hope of saving a rare and iconic little plant, Twinflower Linnaea borealis.
Once found all over the Highlands, Twinflower is now considered ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List.
In fact it is thought there are fewer than 800 individual plants left in the UK, with most clinging on to fragmented patches of Scots Pinewood in the Cairngorms.
Sadly, clearance of these native woodlands, in particular in the early 1900s, resulted in severe losses of the species. And continued habitat loss and changes in woodland management have left the remaining Twinflower patches isolated and declining.
Plantlife has been leading a community of partners in pioneering restoration. We have been working on Twinflower over the past few years, advising on the management of its home, the pinewoods of Scotland, and performing careful translocations to support cross-pollination.
Remaining patches of Twinflower survive in fragmented habitats, which means that the plants are unable to cross-pollinate. One way to help with this issue is through translocations, a process used in conservation which involves moving an organism to a new location, where it will hopefully survive and thrive.
Through our Cairngorms Rare Plants Project, more than 1,000 Twinflower cuttings were moved or reinforced across 10 new sites to boost reproduction and help the species recover.
Now, we have teamed up with the RSPB Scotland to take the next step by creating a Twinflower nursery.
This exciting new nursery is being built on the site of a former tennis court at RSPB Abernethy Forest and volunteers have played a vital role.
Work started in late 2025, with volunteers helping to build nursery beds and prepare the site. And this spring, their hard work paid off, with the first young Twinflowers planted in April 2026.
This haven will see young plants reared in a safe setting before being moved out into suitable habitats in the wild.
There’s currently a total of 26 nursery beds that are full of growing Twinflower – but the aim is to have all 98 beds completed and filled in a few years time. This will help with the longer-term goal of being able to complete 150 translocations by 2040.
“We’re passionate about saving Scotland’s rare and endangered species and this exciting project, in partnership with Plantlife Scotland, will provide the opportunity to strengthen the abundance of this much-loved plant at Abernethy Forest and support its restoration in other forests so that it can thrive once again. We are grateful to Net Zero Scotland’s #NatureRestorationFund, managed by NatureScot for supporting their work.”
The beautiful Twinflower has two pink bell-like flowers on a slender stem, and a thicker stem below which creeps along the ground, forming small mats of the plant.
An aerial view looking down at the Twinflower Nursery site.
Volunteers worked hard building large plant nursery beds from wooden sleepers.
Volunteers also prepared the site of the new Twinflower nursery.
Join us as we take a look back at what went right for nature in 2025.
The peat-rich Flow Country, which our Munsary Peatlands are part of, has been given the same standing as the Great Barrier Reef and the Grand Canyon.
Discover the activities and work that our volunteers in the Cairngorms do with Sam Jones of the Rare Plants and Wild Connections Project.
The endangered species Field Wormwood is one of the rarest plants in the UK. Before our work to conserve this precious plant, just 530 individual plants were known in the UK.
One of the UK’s rarest plants, Field Wormwood, has been given a lifeline to try and boost the numbers of this endangered plant. This rare species is found nowhere in Britain apart from the Brecks where it has just been introduced to a new site. We have just undertaken the largest conservation effort for this plant for over 25 years.
Across the UK, Field Wormwood Artemisia campestris can only be found in the Brecks – at just 3 native sites and 7 translocation sites. It is one of the rarest plants in the UK and is listed as an endangered species, according to the GB Red List of Threatened Species.
It can thrive in the Brecks, but the numbers of this rare plant have dramatically declined due to development, forestry and intensive farming.
The impacts of theoretically losing Field Wormwood could also have drastic biodiversity impacts in the Brecks. Field Wormwood is particularly important for a very rare beetle Wormwood Moonshiner, which depends on the plants’ seeds for food during the cold autumn and winter months.
In a bid to ensure this plant’s survival in the Brecks, we used a method called translocation – a process used in conservation which involves moving a plant to a new location where it will hopefully survive and thrive.
Recently, a total of 78 Field Wormwood plants were successfully translocated from Banham Zoo to Warren Hill, Mildenhall. The site was chosen for its steep slope and poor, chalky-sandy soils. It’s hoped the steep slopes will increase the plants’ chances of survival because this species is susceptible to grazing and unable to cope with competition from other vegetation.
The plants were grown from seed collected from the two largest remaining local sites by Plantlife and Natural England staff, cleaned and stored by Kew Millennium Seed Bank, then planted at Banham Zoo in February. Growing the plants at the Zoo gave them a headstart, optimising their chance of survival. The new site is owned by Forestry England and managed by Norfolk Wildlife Trust.
Before we started conservation work, there were just 650 individual plants in the whole of the UK. However, the species is widespread in Eastern Europe.
This translocation is also part of broader ambitions to develop our understanding of the ecology of Field Wormwood and the life cycle of the rare beetle, Wormwood Moonshiner, that appears to rely on Field Wormwood. It is part of a wider collaborative conservation effort between Plantlife, Banham Zoo, Natural England and Buglife.
The rare beetle Wormwood Moonshiner Amara fusca could greatly benefit if Field Wormwood populations could be restored.
This beetle has only ever been spotted at night, at sites where Field Wormwood is present – either feeding on the plant’s seeds or on adjacent Yarrow plants.
It is hoped that once established, this new site of Field Wormwood will attract the Wormwood Moonshiner beetle and help it to thrive.
The chosen translocation site is 3km from the nearest known site with Wormwood Moonshiner, so it will help us to learn if the beetle is able to move this far to find them.
The unique environment in the Brecks really suits this plant. With its long tap roots it can thrive in the Brecks’ nutrient-poor chalky-sandy soils, and cope with the dry, hot and cold conditions associated with this unique landscape. The Brecks, which spans across Norfolk and Suffolk, is one of the driest parts of the UK. Meanwhile plants which would outcompete it struggle to grow, leaving plenty of space for Field Wormwood.
Now the plants are at the new site, we need to monitor how they grow. We will know the translocation has been a success once the plants are self-sustaining, which means they have set seed with enough germinated plants growing to replace the planted population. This could take up to 5 years.
Field Wormwood successfully translocated to a hill in Middenhall
Planting Field Wormwood
Planting Field Wormwood seeds at Banham Zoo
People planting Field Wormwood on a hill in Middenhall
Chris Jones, the Warden of Kenfig National Nature Reserve, recently found the very rare fungus, during a routine survey.
The effort Greena Moor Nature Reserve management team put in place to save the Three-lobed Water Crowfoot.
Alistair Whyte, Head of Plantlife Scotland shares his thoughts on Scotland's Plant Relict, Purple Oxytropis
Plantlife’s Vascular Plants Officer Robbie Blackhall-Miles finds an exciting new plant species for Wales.
In the UK we have over 45 species of orchid – which might be more than you thought! Learn more about this wild and wonderful family of plants with Plantlife wildflower expert Sarah Shuttleworth.
Throughout February, Plantlife is participating in Reverse the Red's Fungi Month – a chance to discover some of our most threatened species.
Plantlife’s Cairngorms Project Manager Sam Jones reveals how a tiny flower in Scotland is fighting back against extinction in the UK.
Did you know some of our plants are threatened by extinction? Here are 3 species that are endangered in Scotland and the work that’s being done to bring them back.
Some of our plants in Wales are threatened by extinction, but here are 3 species that are being brought back from the brink of extinction.
Join us on a journey to discover the Daisy – from fun facts to folklore!
Everyone knows the Daisy. It’s a common wildflower that can be found in almost all temperate regions of the world, although is only native to temperate Europe.
The Daisy sometimes forms a sea of white flowers over our lawns. It’s easily recognised, but often overlooked and underrated.
But this small unassuming wildflower is much more than just a pretty blossom, it has an impressive history, fabulous folklore and plays an important role for other wildlife!
Join us on a journey to discover the Daisy.
From March until September, the Daisy can be spotted popping out of lawns and other short grassland from road verges to meadows.
Each flower has a rosette of small, thin white petals surrounding a bright yellow centre. These are supported by a single stem which grows from a group of dark green rounded leaves. But did you know that the delicate Daisy isn’t just one flower? It’s actually over 100 flowers! Each of the ray florets (which appear as white petals) is an individual flower, and the disc florets (which appear as the yellow centre) are hundreds more tiny flowers.
Find out more about the Daisy here.
The Daisy is such a common sight that it can often go unappreciated, but it’s actually incredibly important. The humble Daisy helps support a wide range of wildlife. They provide pollen to bees, hoverflies, butterflies, beetles and moths. But it’s not just pollen, the plants themselves provide food to larvae, snails, caterpillars and rabbits and dried Daisy heads are sometimes enjoyed by foraging birds such as Finches. Given their long bloom time they are a vital resource to wildlife at times when not much else is in flower.
It might not be a surprise that the Daisy has been around for thousands of years, but did you know that their history intertwines with ours for millennia as well?
Evidence shows the Daisy was being grown in gardens in ancient Egypt, and was used back then to treat a number of health concerns from coughs to pain. Roman soldiers collected daisies to heal wounds, so much so that it was often called ‘woundwort’ or ‘bruisewort’. Throughout history the tiny wildflower has had a number of uses from medicinal to culinary. Today they are still being used, and are a popular ingredient in skincare thanks to their anti-inflammatory properties.
The Daisy is often seen to symbolise innocence and love and can be found in folklore from around the world, and throughout the ages.
In Norse mythology, the Daisy was the sacred flower of Freyja, the goddess of love and fertility – this in turn made them a symbol of motherhood.
A tale from Roman folklore follows the story of Belides, a nymph who turned herself into a Daisy to avoid the advances of the god of seasons, Vertumnus.
In Celtic folklore it is said that when a child passed away, God would scatter daisies over the land, and the white flowers came to symbolise their pure spirits.
So the next time you spot a Daisy, imagine them growing in gardens bordering the Nile, or being picked by an injured Roman soldier. Think of the nymph Belides, or the grieving Celtic parents comforted by it’s bloom.
This wonderful wildflower is so much more than meets the eye!
Why not visit our species page here, to learn more about other wonderful wildflowers.
Did you know that a simple walk in nature can have positive effects on your family's physical and mental health? Join 9-year-old Flora on an outdoor adventure and explore the wonders of the wild!
This new collaborative network between statutory bodies, research institutes, conservation NGOs and other fungal conservation professionals, is a huge step forward for fungal conservation.
In 2025, a new UK Network for Fungal Conservation was launched. Chaired by Plantlife, this is the first collaboration for conservation of fungi of its kind in the UK for over a decade.
The Network brings together representatives from statutory bodies, research institutes, conservation NGOs and other fungal conservation professionals. Together we will work on fungal conservation across the UK, maximising and focussing resources and expertise.
This new group marks a new step in fungal conservation nationally, and makes the most of momentum that has been building for several years.
We aim to create an inclusive and accessible environment to develop existing and new collaborations and partnerships that promote and address the needs of fungal conservation.
The Network for Fungal Conservation has a broad ranging brief, with activities including:
Throughout 2026, the Network will build on the momentum from the launch, working on a collaborative new strategy and delivery plan for fungal conservation in the UK.
The network launched in September last year with an event that brought together professionals from across the fungal conservation sector.
Through talks, networking and workshops, we set about developing the aims of the network. We also focussed our efforts on a new Strategy for Funal Conservation in the UK. Together we will continue our work on this throughout 2026.
If you would like to join the network and become a member, we would ask you to fill out a quick registration form which can be found here.
Fungi are one of our most fascinating creations, and best of all, they are right under our noses – perfect for children to spot.
Britain’s waxcap grasslands are considered to be the best in Europe. Discover the pressures these colourful fungi and their habitats face…
The missing piece to scale up and urgently deliver global action for fungi.
Developed by experts in the Global Fungal Conservation Network and closely aligned with the Global Biodiversity Framework, the Strategy:
You are invited to comment on the document as a whole or focus on the sections most relevant to your work or region. Read the Strategy here and you can share any feedback here, please ensure any feedback is submitted by the 22nd of June.
Please contribute to this consultation so that it integrates a diversity of perspectives and expertise, making the final version stronger, more credible, and a collective voice of those keen to see transformative change for fungal conservation.
We are working with a group of dedicated experts – the Global Fungal Conservation Network (GFCN) – to complete the first ever Global Strategy for Fungal Conservation. This Strategy will be filling the ‘missing piece’ in already ambitious plans set out around nature recovery, helping countries to meet the targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).
Until now, there has been no dedicated strategy for fungi conservation. The plan is for the Strategy to replicate the success of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which created a roadmap for saving the world’s plants.
Fungi are a frequently forgotten kingdom that underpins all life on Earth and play a vital role in our health, our economy, and the planet’s future. However, they are often ignored in policies, plans, and decision‑making. This lack of attention at local, national, and international levels has led to inadequate protection of fungi, despite urgent action needed for many species which are under threat.
You can read the Contribution of Fungi to the Global Biodiversity Framework report, produced by the Fungal Conservation Network for CBD CoP 16 in October 2024.
The Strategy, due to be published later this year, is notably the first of its kind for fungi. It will provide the actions needed for fungi (and their habitats), which address the many and often unique threats they face. And, since we can’t protect and save what we don’t know, the Strategy identifies the knowledge gaps and research needs, to inspire institutions to fill them.
Beyond Governments, we also hope the strategy will motivate wider engagement from the “whole of society”. This includes a diverse range of people, communities and groups, including the private sector (businesses, corporations), NGOs, and importantly Indigenous Peoples who must have a voice in planning processes and action.
The big hope is for the Strategy to be tailored by countries to their domestic priorities with practical, low‐cost, scalable actions that complement their national plans, capacities and resources.
Plantlife is serving as the Secretariat to the GSFC, working collaboratively with the Global Fungal Conservation Network to provide strategic oversight and operational support to its completion. We will also help by getting it out there to all the people and places it needs to be to influence and inspire action.
The GFCN is network of mycologists and others from a broad mix of universities, research institutions, botanic gardens and NGOs who share a common goal to have a coordinated, science-based framework which integrates fungi into nature recovery, sustainable agriculture, and climate adaptation efforts worldwide.
As the global voice of plants and fungi, we are committed to supporting the Global Fungal Conservation Strategy because we acknowledge the importance of having a coordinated, science-based framework which integrates fungi into nature conservation, sustainable development, and climate adaptation efforts worldwide.
By laying out the actions needed for fungal conservation, we can make compelling arguments for public, private and civil society sectors to work effectively together to drive meaningful change – protect, conserve and restore fungi – on the ground.
Follow us on LinkedIn for further announcements or to get involved.
If you are interested in becoming a member of the GFCN and joining a dedicated group of individuals and organisations committed to raising awareness and implementing the GSFC, then please complete this form.
Members are welcome from a variety of backgrounds including (but not limited to) universities, botanic gardens, NGOs and research institutions.
Note that participation is voluntary, however, signing up as a member signals your positive intent to actively engage in activities which promote and support the implementation of the Global Strategy for Fungal Conservation.
Join Plantlifes Rachel Hoffmann , Greg Mueller (IUCN SSC Fungal Conservation Committee) and Cátia Canteiro (SPUN/Kew Reach) for a series of webinars introducing the new Global Strategy for Fungal Conservation (GSFC), the first unified, globally endorsed framework of its kind for fungi.
There are so many benefits to taking part in the No Mow Movement. From helping wildflowers and grasses to grow freely, providing food for pollinators, habitat for wildlife and helping to tackle the changing climate.
Growers, NGOs, environmentalists and the public stand together urging the government to act to stop the destruction of peatlands
Go behind the scenes with our Policy and Advocacy Intern Aimee Seager as she tells us about her role and explores the journey she took to get into conservation.
The news hasn’t all been good for nature this year – and the truth is we have been working tirelessly in the face of the biodiversity crisis and the climate crisis, and it is an uphill battle. We’re not saying that we’ve turned the tide, there is certainly a long way to go to protect our incredible plants and fungi for the future – but over the last 12 months, we’ve been at the heart of some amazing wins for nature!
So to celebrate a new year, full of opportunity, we wanted to take a look back at 10 stories that show nature is capable of incredible resilience.
We’ve seen wildflowers fight back from the brink of extinction, thousands work together to boost biodiversity in gardens and hope for some of our most vulnerable lichens.
The Breckland, in the east of England, has suffered more than other places with habitat loss – and one of the casualties is Scrambled Egg Lichen. This yellow lichen with a white fungus on top really does look like an egg.
It became extinct in the Breckland due to habitat loss resulting from changes in farming practices, an increase in tree cover and a loss of rabbits. The Scrambled Egg Lichen is 1 of 3 specialist lichens lost from the region, where they were once common, along with the Starry Breck and Scaly Breck Lichen.
Fortunately, we have found a way to reintroduce it back into the Breckland. Our Lichen and Bryophyte Senior Specialist Dave Lamacraft collected small patches of the lichen from Penhale in Cornwall and transported it using a process called translocation.
Read the full story here.
Thousands of people all over the UK ditched the mower in May and beyond to help boost biodiversity in gardens.
In previous years, people as far away as Italy and the USA have taken on the challenge, and we’ve seen No Mow diaries from far afield popping up on YouTube which is amazing. But this year, the Movement really started to snowball overseas when it was picked up by the New York Times!
We hope that this is just the start of a world-wide initiative of people leaving their lawns for nature.
Find out more about the No Mow Movement here.
The iconic orchid, Lady’s-slipper, was believed to have been driven to extinction in the UK by the early part of the 20th century as a result of over-collecting and habitat loss.
However, in 1930 a single plant was discovered growing in a remote part of the Yorkshire Dales. The location was kept secret for decades, during which time volunteers frequently checked on the plant to make sure it wasn’t dug up and stolen.
A reintroduction programme was planned with the ambition of reinstating self-sustaining populations of the orchid in the wild. Now, decades of work have finally paid off.
Last summer, the first new naturally occurring Lady’s-slipper Cypripedium calceolus plant was discovered in the wild for almost 100 years. The team who discovered the plant included Plantlife, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Natural England, the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI) and Chester Zoo.
We recently discovered 2 rare lichen species at risk in the Lake District’s unique temperate rainforest. They were growing on an infected Ash tree and needed to be moved to ensure they continued to thrive in this habitat.
The tree has been infected with ash dieback meaning it is at a high risk of dying or collapsing in a storm.
Our experts translocated some of the lichen from the infected Ash tree to a nearby Hazel tree in the Lake District, home to some of the UK’s rare temperate rainforests.
The high rainfall, humid temperatures and ancient woodlands provide a perfect climate for rare lichens to survive.
On National Meadows Day 2025, we asked you to help us make sure our meadows don’t become a memory, by joining our call for the government to protect them.
The government has an Irreplaceable Habitat list, which includes ancient woodlands, blanket bogs, coastal sand dunes and lowland fens offering them a level of protection. But ancient meadows have no protection to stop them from disappearing – and once they’re gone, they’re gone forever.
We asked you to write to your MPs – and as a result of the emails sent by our supporters and members, the Minister for Nature responded to our letter.
We also received information that the UK Government plans to review the definition of irreplaceable habitats in national planning policy in England.
Find out more here.
In 2003 Aspen Bristle-moss, which was thought to be extinct in the UK, was rediscovered by a chance finding. Now, thanks to a team effort – moss experts, landowners and volunteers discovered 3 times the amount of Aspen Bristle-moss at one site. This brilliant find led to the known population of this rare moss doubling in Scotland in a single afternoon.
This amazing feat was thanks to a training session organised by our Resilience and Recovery, Helping Rare Species Adapt to a Changing World Project Manager, Sam Jones, where volunteers were taught how to ID this marvellous moss.
The elusive epiphyte (a plant which grows on the surface of another plant) is particularly tricky to identify, with tiny features that distinguish it from the other mosses that can be found growing alongside it.
This event, helping uncover hidden populations of Aspen Bristle-moss, gives hope for its future.
We asked people to head to their local grassland in search of bright and beautiful waxcap mushrooms. This year, more people than ever took part, tripling the number of surveys we received from last year.
These surveys provide really important data to help us find rare and important waxcaps as well as identify where fragments of ancient meadows survive.
From 11 recordings of rare Violet Corals, to 265 surveys that recorded Pink Waxcaps, this data is invaluable.
Find out more about Waxcap Watch here.
Following the publication of the new GB Red List in 2025, we were excited to be able to announce that one of the most endangered orchids in Britain, Fen Orchid, is no longer considered threatened.
This great achievement is a result of decades of painstaking conservation work. Overtime, we’ve learnt more about the plant’s ecology, how to safeguard existing plants and then how to boost its numbers.
Read the full blog here – and hear directly from Tim Pankhurst, former Conservation Manager at Plantlife who dedicated his life’s work to protecting Fen Orchids.
This year was the year people really supported the UK’s rare and incredible temperate rainforest habitat.
We teamed up with Cumbria Woodlands to host a full day of activities including trips into real rainforests to experience the wonder of these habitats first hand. We held a sold-out members talk, raised awareness through videos and social media posts that you helped to share with the world and even launched an appeal to rescue UK rainforests from extinction.
Every step of the way, our supporters have been there to speak up for these precious habitats and make sure that they will be protected for the future.
Donate today to rescue UK rainforests.
Lugg Meadows is a Lammas Floodplain Meadow in Herefordshire that boasts a wealth of biodiversity with wildflowers blooming all spring – including a spectacular displays of fritillaries.
But the meadow was put at risk when a planning application was submitted to build around 250 dwellings on land bordering the reserve, which is a legally protected Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
We submitted objections and more than 1,300 other organisations and individuals did too.
In October, after ongoing uncertainty, Herefordshire Council informed the developer that it could not support the application and recommended it for refusal.
Explore this incredible nature reserve here.
We know 2026 will bring a wealth of challenges for nature, but it’s also brimming with possibilities. Our teams will be on the ground supporting some of the rarest species in the world, protecting ancient habitats bursting with biodiversity and raising awareness at the highest level, campaigning for change. We hope that you will join us on this journey.
We would love to welcome you to our growing community, whether you’re interested in learning more about plants and fungi, supporting us through donations, becoming a member, or even joining the team as a citizen scientist or volunteer – every contribution matters.
Get involved
After decades of brilliant conservation work, the rare and eye-catching Fen Orchid is officially no longer considered threatened in Great Britain.
One of Britain’s most endangered orchids has been brought back from the brink of extinction. The rare Fen Orchid is making a comeback and is no longer considered threatened, according to the new GB Red List.
Tim Pankhurst, former Conservation Manager at Plantlife has dedicated his life’s work to protecting Fen Orchids. For captions watch on YouTube.
There are now over 10,000 individual plants in Britain, with 7 locations in England and 3 in Wales. Fen Orchid was previously classed as Endangered, but thanks to conservation work it is now classed as ‘Near Threatened’ according to the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI)’s new GB Red List.
The historic downgrading in threat status of Fen Orchid is thought to mark one of only a handful of plants that have been inched off the GB Red List due to conservation action since the system was introduced in 1977.
Fen Orchids Liparis loeselii aren’t just striking, they’re also very rare – only flowering fleetingly in a precious few fens and sand dunes.
Interestingly, this wildflower is different to many others because it doesn’t usually grow in soil. Instead, Fen Orchids grow on clumps of moss or on sedge tussocks in wet areas called fens. They are dependent on the unique, open conditions of the fenland, a naturally marshy area.
It can also be a tricky wildflower to spot as it is small and inconspicuous. Its leaves wrap around the bottom of the single stem, which supports several yellowish-green flowers towards the top of the plant.
Learn more about the Fen Orchid.
The main reason that Fen Orchid numbers have declined is habitat loss – the abandonment and drainage of the fens. Orchid enthusiasts collecting plants have also played a part.
By 2010, there were just 3 locations in East Anglia and 1 dune site in Kenfig, Wales where Fen Orchids were reported growing. There were no more than 1,000 plants in total.
There were fears this plant would entirely disappear from the UK, especially as it is such a sensitive species that requires particular conditions.
Tim Pankhurst, former Conservation Manager at Plantlife said: “Playing a leading role in reducing the threat status of such a beautiful yet mercurial orchid is a once in a lifetime opportunity for a botanist and one I will always treasure. As we face the enormous challenges of climate and biodiversity loss, this provides a moment of genuine hope for the future and is testament to what dedicated partnership conservation work delivered consistently over many decades can deliver.”
Since 2008, we’ve led efforts to rescue this plant through a multi-pronged conservation strategy, alongside partners. This wouldn’t have been possible without the decades of work by the Wildlife Trusts caring for the remaining plants and restoring former sites so they could be suitable for Fen Orchids. This work made the reintroductions of Fen Orchids possible.
Image credit: Cambridge University Botanic Garden
Peter Atkinson, Plants Records Officer at Cambridge University Botanic Garden, said: “At Cambridge University Botanic Garden, we’ve been investigating the life cycle of the Fen Orchid and successfully maintaining an ex-situ collection of plants for over a decade. Over this time, our field observations have deepened our understanding of the species, directly informing improved management of existing sites and helping wild populations increase from a few hundred to several thousand.
“We’re now seeing strong, sustainable populations re-establishing in the wild – a clear sign that this kind of long-term, collaborative conservation really does work.”
The threat status of Fen Orchid has reduced, but that doesn’t mean work is complete. This achievement can only be held by continuing conservation work, including sites continuing to be managed properly and future translocations of the plant.
Funders and partners involved in the English Fen Orchid Conservation Strategy include Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Suffolk Wildlife Trust, RSPB, Natural England, Butterfly Conservation, Broads Authority, Norfolk County Council, Cambridge University Botanic Garden, Royal Botanic Gardens and Kew. Natural Resources Wales and Bridgend Council have spearheaded work in Wales.
Our annual citizen survey campaign Waxcap Watch is making a big difference to fungus conservation work.
A rare fungus has been found at 300 new locations as a result of the annual Waxcap Watch citizen survey campaign.
Every year, we urge people to help us find some of Britain’s most colourful and important fungi – waxcaps – and record them through our free app. The hard work from volunteers and members of the public has proven very successful for 2 important grassland fungi – Pink Waxcap and Violet Corals.
More than 300 new locations for the rare Pink Waxcap have been discovered in the UK. Pink Waxcap, also known as Ballerina Waxcap because of the way the pink cap flares out and splits like a tutu or pirouetting dancer, is classed as “Vulnerable” on the global IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Data collected between 2020 – 2024 also shows 18 new locations of Violet Corals, a rare species recognised by its vibrant violet branching structure.
These discoveries show a huge leap in knowledge and the importance of citizen science in mycology. Before Waxcap Watch, just over 1,000 Pink Waxcap sites and 183 locations for Violet Corals were recorded in the UK, according to the British Mycological Society’s database [1].
Waxcaps, a type of fungus, are an indicator of rare, species-rich grassland. Knowing where waxcaps and other grassland fungi are thriving helps us locate where fragments of ancient meadows are surviving. This means we can help protect them for the future.
These ancient meadows are crucial in the fight against climate change.
Waxcap Watch is a very valuable tool for conservation. There aren’t many mycologists so by members of the public conducting surveys, we can learn more about grassland fungi and work to protect the sites where they are found.
Download the FREE app and help us find waxcaps.
These new Waxcap Watch findings are just the beginning for most sites. In places recorded as having high diversity indicators, such as Pink Waxcaps, further surveys will be done to influence future conservation plans.
The ambition of Waxcap Watch is to build pathways for local grassland conservation plans and help focus the efforts of mycologists.
Importantly, we need to keep going. Recording more waxcaps (or a lack of waxcaps) can help us investigate the state of fungi in the UK, as well as the impacts of climate change and changes in land use.
Over the 5 years that Waxcap Watch has been running, thousands of people have conducted surveys to help us understand more about the world of fungi. In 2024, we saw our highest number of surveys with 567 in total.
From lawns to agricultural land and cemeteries to road verges – people have found waxcaps in a huge variety of habitats.
In fact, a significant proportion of surveys were done in urban areas such as cemeteries, garden lawns and amenity locations. Typically, these are not commonly surveyed areas.
2025 is the sixth anniversary of the Waxcap Watch and we’ve made some exciting improvements to the campaign including:
Enjoy taking part!
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