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Join leading botanist Trevor Dines, and Specialist Botanical Advisor Sarah Shuttleworth, to delve into the world of urban plants. Find out how these plants defy the odds to live on our streets.
Plants have never stopped defying urbanisation. They break through cracks in pavement, embellish city parks and colourfully adorn walls and buildings. Leading botanist Trevor Dines investigates these determined plants ahead of the launch of his upcoming book Urban Plants. Find out how they arrived, how they survive and how some have defied the odds to populate our streets.
*If you are a member you should have already received your personal email invitation directly from our team (contact us if you haven’t!). New members will receive a link in your welcome email.
Trevor Dines is a passionate botanist, conservationist, lecturer, and author. He worked for Plantlife for over 20 years and now writes and consults extensively while managing his smallholding in Wales.
An incredible story of returning one of England’s rarest lichens to its historic home – more than 350 miles away.
Let’s learn how expert Dave Lamacraft translocated the lichen across the country.
The Scrambled Egg Lichen, a rare and endangered lichen, has been reintroduced to its historic home in East Anglia.
This yellow lichen with a white fungus on top really does look like an egg. But before you start imagining carrying it in a frying pan, let’s follow the amazing journey of transporting this lichen 350 miles.
The Breckland, in the east of England, has suffered more than other places with habitat loss. One of the casualties is the Scrambled Egg Lichen. 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.
The rare Scrambled Egg Lichen Fulgensia fulgens is not just striking, but also a crucial part of the biological soil crust community which stabilises soils and facilitates the growth of other plants. It also hosts a globally rare fungus Lichenochora epifulgens which is even rarer than the Scrambled Egg lichen itself.
The UK is home to globally significant populations of rare lichen species, some of which are found nowhere else on earth. However, lichens face increasing threats from habitat loss, climate change and air pollution. Projects such as this are vital and will help us to reverse these declines.
Translocation is a process used in conservation which involves moving an organism to a new location, where it will hopefully survive and thrive. To translocate the Scrambled Egg Lichen, small patches of the lichen were carefully removed and reattached using a combination of water and bookbinding glue.
Some 200 small pieces of the lichen – about the size of a 20p piece – were removed from Cornwall and 160 transplanted into the Breckland chalky landscape. The site in Cornwall is managed by Cornwall Wildlife Trust.
About 160 lichens were translocated to a small area of about 100m at a site managed by Norfolk Wildlife Trust.
Measuring long term success of this translocation will take a few years, but it is hoped that if successful, the lichen will show evidence of growing after one year and spread naturally afterwards.
None of this work would have been possible without the support from Cornwall Wildlife Trust and Norfolk Wildlife Trust, with funding from Natural England as part of the Species Recovery Programme.
200 small patches of Scrambled Egg Lichen were transported from Cornwall to Norfolk
The Scrambled Egg Lichen was transported to the east of England in seed trays
The lichen was transplanted across an area of about 100m at a site managed by Norfolk Wildlife Trust
Glue and water was used to transplant the lichen
The sun is shining, the days are longer and our green fingers are ready to get stuck back in to some spring gardening.
Did you know that dreaming of Harebells is said to be a sign of true love, or that Daffodils are used to celebrate a couple's first decade of marriage?
Why are rare plants rare? We target our conservation activity at the plants with the greatest need, which is generally the rare ones.
What do we mean by rare? Why do some plants get more conservation attention? And how do we work out why a plant is rare?
Join Plantlife’s Tim Pankhurst as he delves into the fascinating world of rare plants and how understanding why certain plants are rare can help us to save them.
Tim is an ecologist with 40+ years experience working in the conservation sector. He joined Plantlife as a plant ecologist in 2007, after 12 years specialising in wetlands and aquatics, and now works as the Regional Conservation Manager for the east of England.
A passionate advocate for nature recovery, Meg is Plantlife’s Species Recovery Conservation Officer. She advocates for species to be brought into nature recovery plans across the country, and champions for better taxonomic inclusivity to make sure none of our tiny wonders get left behind.
Did you know that dreaming of Harebells is said to be a sign of true love, or that Daffodils are used to celebrate a couple’s first decade of marriage?
Our beautiful wildflowers have long been associated with love. It’s not just the countless songs, poems, plays and novels that draws the connection – wildflowers have a deep-rooted connection to love that spans millennia. There’s symbolism from ancient cultures, stories from gods and goddesses and fabulous floral folklore.
When thinking of romance, roses tend to be the first flower to cross our minds, but there’s many wonderful wildflowers that might be overlooked.
From Daisies to Cornflowers, and symbols of everlasting love to games that tell you if someone feels the same way – love and flowers definitely go together.
Read on to find some of our favourite folklore connecting flowers to love.
The bright blue Cornflower Centaurea cyanus might not be the first flower that you think of when it comes to love, but it has a historic connection. More specifically, the Cornflower is seen as a symbol of devotion and the hope of love.
In folklore these beautiful blue flowers were once known as ‘Bachelor’s Buttons’. Young men used to wear the flowers in their buttonholes, to show that they were in love. If the Cornflower drooped and died quickly, it was a sign that their love was not meant to be. But if it held throughout the day, there was hope.
The name Primrose Primula vulgaris comes from the Latin ‘prima rosa’, which means ‘first rose’. This could be one of the factors that led to the connection of Primroses being associated with our first loves. And in fact, Primroses were often sent during the Victorian period as a symbol of young love.
Primroses are also considered one of the sacred flowers of the Norse goddess of love, Freya.
Sweet Violet Viola odorata is a low, creeping plant with fragrant flowers, which has a long and rather romantic history in folklore. For instance, one tale says that medieval French troubadours used Sweet Violets to represent faithfulness in their tales of chivalrous love.
If you look closely at the beautiful blue flower, you’ll notice that it has hairy, heart-shaped leaves, which gives it another connection.
But of course, more widely, the most famous violet connection is the iconic poem, ‘Roses are red, Violets are blue’, which can be traced back as far as 1590, by Sir Edmund Spense.
In the Language of Flowers, the Daffodil Narcissus pseudonarcissus ssp pseudonarcissus, which blooms between March and April, represents unrequited love. It’s believed that the connection could come from the flowers short blooming season, as a nod to how fleeting love can be.
On a more positive love note however, Daffodils have also become known as a symbol of long-lasting love. The bright flowers, which symbolise hope and happiness, are often given as a celebration to signify couples reaching their first decade of marriage.
Read about Wild Daffodils here.
These beautiful little flowers, which can be seen blooming between July and September have fantastic folklore connections from fairies to witches. But moving away from the magical, Harebells Campanula rotundifolia have long been known as a symbol of love.
Their pretty, delicate appearance has a certain romance about it – and dreaming about the flower is said to symbolise true love.
Daisies are said to represent true love and more specifically, soul mates. This is perhaps because the Daisy is a composite flower, with the white petals each being their own flower and the yellow centre made up of hundreds of tiny flowers also. The flowers are meant to be together, just like soul mates.
Even their Latin name, Bellis perennis, shares a connection with ‘Bellis’ meaning beautiful and ‘perennis’ meaning everlasting.
Daisies have also been used in songs and poems about love for centuries. They have made their way into our language and even into our games. Take the historic ‘Daisy Oracle’ game for instance. People pluck petals from Daisies while reciting ‘they love me, they love me not’, until the last petal revealed whether your love felt the same way.
An iconic and much-loved wildflower, Bluebell’s have our hearts. But they also have a long-standing symbolism when it comes to love. Even its name has a connection. Bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta wasn’t commonly used for the flower until the 19th century when Romantic poets started to write about it. It became a muse of many and was featured in work by celebrated poets and authors including Anne and Emily Brontë, Percy Bysshe Shelley and Oscar Wilde.
In the Language of Flowers, it is the Bluebell that represents everlasting love. And in folklore there is a story that says if you turn a Bluebell flower inside out without breaking it, you will win the heart of the person you love.
It might not be surprising, given the name, but this flower is connected to holding memories of those you love. In the Language of Flowers, Forget-me-nots Myosotis arvensis stand for true love and memories.
They have been given as a gift for centuries, to those who are going on travels, as a sign that they will not be forgotten by their love. Victorians also used the small flowers to remember their loved ones who had passed away, and would often include Forget-me-nots in jewellery worn as a memorial.
As we all know, love is everlasting, and the Fritillary Fritillaria meleagris is the perfect example of this. It is a well-known symbol of love beyond death. People used to wear Fritillary flowers to show their devotion to those who had passed on.
Due to the look of the flower, with it’s drooping head, it also gained the nickname Weeping Widow.
From our work deep in the forests of the Caledonian Pine woods to the wild north coast – species recovery is at the very heart of what we do.
Here you will find all of the information on the incredible wild plants we are working with in Scotland, the reasons we need to protect them and the projects that are leading the way.
The plants and fungi we are working with in Scotland are all at risk of extinction without intervention. From the rare Tufted Saxifrage to the tiny Aspen Bristle-moss which was believed to be extinct, until a lucky find in 2003.
Protecting our amazing wild plants from extinction and helping rare species to recover, is a crucial part of tackling the biodiversity crisis we are facing.
Not only are these species a vital and often unseen part of the ecosystem, they also add to the richness of the natural world around us. They’re part of the heritage and the habitats of Scotland.
We have pioneered the preservation of Tufted Saxifrage Saxifraga cespitosa in Wales through the Natur am Byth! partnership project – and now we are beginning the work in Scotland too.
In Scotland, we are at the start of our journey to protect this delicate arctic alpine plant. Even though species like the Tufted Saxifrage are seriously at risk because of the climate crisis, we must still consider their preservation. These plants might not need cold temperatures or high altitudes, but rather a specific habitat. Since only tiny fragments of their populations are left, they can’t move to new areas. That’s where work including research and translocations come in.
We are working on the species through our Resilience and Recovery, Helping Rare Species Adapt to a Changing World Project. Working with our project partners, Nature Scot and the Cairngorms National Park, we’ll explore the state of Scotland’s remaining populations of Tufted Saxifrage. We’ll also look for ways to protect it and help it to recover.
The Aspen Bristle-moss Nyholmiella gymnostoma, as the name suggests, is a small moss which is only known to grow on Aspen Populus tremula bark. It was believed to be extinct in the UK in 2000, but thankfully in 2003, 3 new sites were found.
The greatest densities of Aspen woodlands are now found in and around the Cairngorms, and this is where the last few patches of Aspen Bristle-moss reside.
Photo taken by Gus Routledge
Similar to Tufted Saxifrage, we are in the early phases of learning to protect Aspen Bristle-moss and other species of rare aspen mosses. Through our Resilience and Recovery, Helping Rare Species Adapt to a Changing World project, we’re currently surveying sites and assessing how under-recorded it may be. In time, we may look into assisted colonisation of other healthy Aspen stands missing these mosses.
One-flowered Wintergreen Moneses uniflora is an unusual and complex pine woodland specialist which appears to have heavily declined in Scotland in recent years. We’re still learning what is causing this decline, but we know that changes in how pine woodlands are managed have played a role. It’s also likely a decline in the health of the fungal community in the soil could be part of the cause.
Since the Cairngorms Project we have been studying One-flowered Wintergreen. Part of the project saw us carry out a trial translocation with the RSPB and Forestry Land Scotland. We worked in partnership with Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh to investigate fungal host partnerships. We also surveyed all remaining Scottish populations.
We’ll be continuing our work on this plant through our new Resilience and Recovery, Helping Rare Species Adapt to a Changing World Project. We are working with our project partners Nature Scot and the Cairngorms National Park, on a full genetic assessment of the state of Scottish One-flowered Wintergreen populations.
This will tell us how at-risk different populations are and help us plan if and how we should consider moving plants around.
Using this assessment, along with fungi research and innovative land management advice, we’ll create a plan of action. The goal is to restore both the One-flowered Wintergreen and the wider pinewood soil fungus community.
Despite its charismatic nature, and widespread interest, Twinflower Linnaea borealis has seriously declined in Scotland over the last few centuries. The main threat is habitat fragmentation, which leaves remaining patches of Twinflower isolated and unable to cross-pollinate.
Thankfully, many different conservation organisations, professionals, and landowners have a keen interest in protecting Twinflower. There’s a hope to see it return to recovering native Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris woodlands across Scotland.
Building on our work as part of the Cairngorms Rare Plants and Wild Connections Project, we are now looking to strategise and lead on a Twinflower conservation programme. This will guide practitioners towards long term and sustainable Twinflower recovery.
We are continuing our work with this amazing species, as part of our Resilience and Recovery, Helping Rare Species Adapt to a Changing World Project. Along with our partners Nature Scot and the Cairngorms National Park we are working to collect cuttings from Twinflower patches and move them between sites across Scotland, as well as restoring pine woodland for Twinflower.
Without intervention, the delicate pink blooms of the rare Twinflower could disappear from Scotland.
Through our Cairngorms…. we will be investigating the state of remaining Scottish populations and assessing what may be done to preserve them and aid their recovery.
The effort Greena Moor Nature Reserve management team put in place to save the Three-lobed Water Crowfoot.
Discover 4 new walk ideas and Scottish spring adventure inspiration from Plantlife Scotland’s Communications and Policy Officer, Erin Shott.
Air pollution often poses the biggest danger to internationally rare habitats and nitrogen gases have the potential to destroy our temperate rainforests.
Though we typically associate wildflowers with spring and summer, some species thrive in the colder months. Here’s our list of our favourite native and naturalised wildflowers to watch out for on your winter adventures.
Although the days are getting longer, we are still in the depths of winter.
Some might assume that with bare branches and muddy footpaths, there’s not much to see in nature during winter, but nothing could be further from the truth. Even in its more restful state, nature is full of surprises, and there’s so much to discover!
While the season can seem uninviting, it’s well worth venturing out if you can. Frost dusts hardy winter plants in sparkling ice, and delicate wildflowers brave the freezing temperatures to bloom under the winter sun.
Though we typically associate wildflowers with spring and summer, some species thrive in the colder months.
Here’s our list of our favourite native and naturalised winter wildflowers to watch for on your winter adventures.
Mistletoe, Viscum album, had to top our list because it has become synonymous with the winter season. Look out for its white berries throughout the winter and flowers between February and April.
You’ll have to keep your eyes up to spot this parasitic plant as it grows hanging from broadleaf trees, orchard trees and others, especially lime and poplar.
Mistletoe colonies are vital for 6 species of insect that live nowhere else.
For more information head to our Mistletoe species page here.
Winter Aconite, Eranthis hyemalis is a bright and glossy yellow perennial, which blooms between January and March.
While it’s not native to the UK, having been introduced in the 16th century, it is now naturalised and a common sight in our parks and woodlands.
It’s an easy one to spot due to it’s vibrant flowers. Keep your eyes on the ground as it’s a small plant, that grows up to 15cm.
Read more on our Winter Aconite species page here.
Snowdrops, Galanthus nivalis, although not native to the UK, have become synonymous with our woodlands. They were introduced possibly as early as the 16th century, from mainland Europe.
The pretty white blooms can usually been seen from January to March, though they have been known to flower as early as October!
You’ll find them in areas with damp soil, such as moist woodland and riverbanks.
The species has long been associated with our cold winter months – the Latin name, Galanthus nivalis, translates as ‘milk flower of the snow.’
For more about this stunning species, visit our Snowdrop species page here – scroll down to watch our video uncovering the hidden secrets of Snowdrops, or head to our YouTube page here.
The pretty yellow Primrose, Primula vulgaris, is a favourite, and common sight all over the UK.
It’s name comes from the Latin, prima rosa, which means ‘first rose’ of the year. While Primroses are not part of the rose family, the name is still apt, as they are early bloomers.
You can see these pale yellow, green-veined flowers from December until May, the flowers are 3cm across, on single stalks.
Keep a look out for these wildflowers in woodland clearings, hedgebanks, waysides, railway banks and open grasslands.
Read more on our Primrose species page here.
Lesser Celandine, Ficaria verna, is an easy winter spot with bright yellow, star-shaped flower that can often blanket the ground.
They can be spotted between February and May. In fact February is so synonymous with the wildflower that the 21 February has been known as Celandine Day since 1795. It’s said that this was the day when the renowned naturalist Gilbert White noted that the first celandines usually appeared in his Hampshire village of Selborne.
Look out for these bright blooms in woodlands, hedge banks, damp meadows and stream-sides.
Read more about the Lesser Celandine on our species page here.
The native wildflower Stinking Hellebore, Helleborus foetidus, is one to look out for in the colder months. It has unique dropping cup-shaped pale green or yellowish flowers that stand out against dark green leaves.
The name Stinking Hellebore suggests that it’s one you might smell before you spot, but the scent is actually only released if the leaves are crushed.
Keep an eye out for Stinking Hellebore between February and April. It can be found in woodlands, on walls and roadside verges and is particularly fond of limestone-based soils.
While this plant is a beautiful one to watch out for, it is also one to be cautious around as every part of the plant is poisonous.
Read more about the Stinking Hellebore here.
While Daisies, Bellis perennis, might not really be a winter wildflower – National Daisy Day is actually on January 28, so we think they deserve to make the cut!
Daisies are a common sight in short grasslands and meadows, blooming between March and September. With spring officially starting on March 20, you can start to spot the first Daisies just as winter ends.
These pretty white and yellow flowers are not just one flower. They’re composite flowers, so each bloom is made up of over 100 flowers! Each petal is actually a flower and the yellow centre is hundreds of tiny little flowers too.
Read more about this unassuming but amazing wildflower here.
Winter Heliotrope, Petasites fragrans, is a winter wildflower you might have spotted before, but did you know its invasive?
It was originally introduced as a garden plant in 1806, for it’s pretty pink spikes of vanilla-scented flowers and large heart-shaped leaves. However the plant spreads underground and can spread quickly into carpet across the ground.
While it is an invasive plant, it does have some benefit as it provides both nectar and pollen to pollinators when not many other plants are yet in bloom.
It can be seen from December until March alongside streams, in verges, hedge banks and on waste land.
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.
Ever wondered how biodiverse meadows are made? Plantlife volunteers Andrew and Helen tell us about their own meadow story in Carmarthenshire.
Plantlife staff tested 10 plant identifying apps out on the field and picked 3 of the best for you to take out on your next wildflower hunt.
Taking a garden to Chelsea Flower Show is no mean feat. It was a journey of blood, sweat and tears for Dan Bristow to bring the most biodiverse garden to the world-renowned show in 2024.
Dan worked with local plant nurseries, mushroom growers, quarrymen and crafts people for his design, in support of climate change charity Size of Wales. This story has sustainability at its core and Dan will be joined by Vickie Wood, Plantlife’s Director of Fundraising and Marketing.
Vickie leads on the charity’s fundraising strategies, communications, and marketing activities. With a BSc degree in Geography and an MSc in Environmental Development, Vickie joined Plantlife in 2021 to use her passion for creative storytelling to help engage everyone with plants, and nature to make a difference to the biodiversity, climate, and social challenges we face.
For a full dose of positivity take a look through our 2024 highlights. Let’s revisit the amazing ways we have helped protect nature for the future this year.
It’s the end of 2024, and we have been overloaded with news all year long. With so much going on in the world it can be overwhelming to try to look back and remember the positives. So, we’ve done the hard work for you! Here are some of our favourite nature news stories of positivity from the last 12 months.
The every day contributions that you make, all add up – and they make big changes for nature! Let’s look back and celebrate our shared achievements and look to how we can all take action to protect nature in 2025.
After not being seen in the wild in Wales since 1962, we led a trial reintroduction to bring back Rosy Saxifrage Saxifraga rosacea.
The trial marked a special moment for nature recovery. We used plants that had direct lineage to the 1962 specimens that once grew on the cliff edges of Eryri (Snowdonia). Maintained in cultivation for more than 60 years the plants are now flowering close to where they were last recorded decades ago.
We were so excited when it was announced that the Flow Country had been granted UNESCO World Heritage status. Deep within the peat-rich Flow Country lies our own Munsary Peatlands Nature Reserve.
This historic moment for nature in Scotland, is also a world first, as the Flow Country became the first ever peatland World Heritage Site.
The Flow Country now has the same standing as the Great Barrier Reef and the Grand Canyon.
Back in June, we joined thousands of you, as well as fellow nature and climate charities in the peaceful Restore Nature Now march in London. The march called on all governments across the UK to take immediate action to protect and restore our wonderful wildlife.
With more than half of UK plant species in decline and 1 in 6 wildlife species at risk of extinction, our wildlife needs emergency action.
While there is still work to be done, the march highlighted how important nature is to people all over the UK. It helped to raise awareness of the plight of nature and push it to the forefront of our governments attention.
It gave us hope to see so many people passionate about this cause.
Watch our highlights video below to feel inspired!
We took to the streets of London to call for urgent action for nature.
You helped us create space for nature all over the UK! Thousands of you joined our annual No Mow May campaign.
From community spaces to big front lawns and mini meadows in window boxes every wild space counts. By managing our gardens and green spaces for nature through May and beyond, we can create enormous gains for nature, communities and the climate.
We’ve lost approximately 97%of flower-rich meadows since the 1930’s. This is why Plantlife calls for people to get involved with #NoMowMay every year, and let wild plants get a head start on the summer.
This year we helped to form the Alliance for Wales Rainforest. Made up of environmental charities and organisations, the Alliance is dedicated to protecting these rare habitats.
These magical forests host over 400 rare species of mosses, lichens, and wildlife, acting as biodiversity hotspots and natural carbon sinks.
One of the first pieces of work we completed together, was to publish the State of Wales Rainforest report. This report aims to draw attention to the temperate rainforest habitat, the threats that is facing and what can be done to protect it for the future.
Did you know that back in 2022, the UK’s horticultural industry got through 950,000 m³ of peat? Did you also know that peat takes a very long time to form? It grows at a rate of just 1mm per year! That’s almost one million years of peat used in just one.
Not only are peatlands an important habitat but they store huge amounts of carbon, which is released when peat is dug up.
That’s why we joined the call for the government and the horticultural industry to ban the use of peat in gardening and horticulture.
The Peat-free Partnership, a coalition of horticultural organisations and environment NGOs – including Plantlife, has sent a letter to Keir Starmer. This letter had more than 100 signatories including Chris Packham, B&Q, Co-op, Evergreen and many of our fellow eNGOs.
We led the first ever conservation attempt for One-flowered Wintergreen, Moneses uniflora, and it was a success!
The rare white flower has been in sharp decline. It is estimated that half of the UK population has been lost over the last 50 years. There’s only two known remaining patches in the Cairngorms National Park and as few as just seven populations in the whole country.
Along with our partners through our Cairngorms Rare Plants project we set out on a pioneering plan to boost it’s numbers. After surveying the site nine months after the translocation, we saw a 70% success rate– Project success lays the groundwork for a bright future for Scotland’s rare plant species
We are continuing our work with the species through our Resilience and Recovery, Helping Rare Species Adapt to a Changing World project. Follow our journey here.
This autumn we ran our annual Waxcap Watch campaign and our Forgotten Fungi Appeal. While both different, they both contributed to protecting the future of fungi – and so did you.
Through Waxcap Watch, you helped us to survey grassland fungi sites. Waxcaps are an indicator of rare, species-rich grasslands. So surveys that show us where these fragments of ancient meadows survive, help us to make sure they are protected for the future.
And thanks to your generous donations through our Forgotten Fungi Appeal, you’ve helped us to amplify the voices of the fungi kingdom.
Thanks to your generous support of our appeal, and a substantial grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, we raised enough funds to extend our Ryewater Nature Reserve.
Your donations helped us to purchase an extra 4.45 acres of grassland which borders our nature reserve. The new land parcel needs major restoration work. We hope to start work in the summer as over the winter months the land is too wet and inaccessible. In the future this land will be managed in the same way as the rest of the site, to benefit wild plants, fungi and other species.
The existing Ryewater Farm reserve is made up of meadows, pasture and a beautiful strip of ancient woodland that runs steeply down to a stream. During the spring and into the summer, it’s awash with Common Spotted-orchid, Pignut and Yellow Rattle. The site is also rich in fungi and home to dormice and several protected bat species.
Far too often, the world’s wild plants have been forgotten and we’ve been calling to bring them to the forefront of global conservation efforts.
The adoption of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (and its 21 complementary plant conservation actions) in Cali, Colombia is a big step forward. It means a commitment to align plant conservation efforts with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), which is an international agreement made up of ambitious goals and targets to combat biodiversity decline.
A Fungi Pledge was also put forward, and in a truly historic decision, COP 16 delegates agreed to create a special advisory board for Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs).
Read more from our time at COP here.
Every day, our wild plants and fungi are put at risk from planning decisions, chemical sprays and more. Find out what you can do to help protect nature.
A rainbow of wildflowers in your lawn doesn’t just bring garden owners joy, but is also the sign of a healthy and thriving garden.
Plantlife's Road Verges Advisor Mark Schofield reveals how to keep your thriving No Mow May flowering lawn blossoming into June.
Far too often, the world’s wild plants have been relegated to the green background for more charismatic wildlife…but no more.We’re thrilled that the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation was adopted at COP16. Just returned from Cali, Colombia – our Global Advocacy Officer Claire Rumsey tells us more.
As the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) came to a close in the early hours on Sunday morning, we were thrilled to hear the news that the new Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) was officially adopted.
The adoption of the GSPC (and its 21 complementary plant conservation actions) in Cali, Colombia is a big step forward. It means a commitment to align plant conservation efforts with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), which is an international agreement made up of ambitious goals and targets to combat biodiversity decline. This includes updating the GSPC with specific indicators and a standardized reporting template, ensuring that progress in plant conservation is measurable and consistent with global biodiversity targets.
A Fungi Pledge was also put forward, which we were absolutely thrilled about. The pledge, lunched at a side event by the UK and Chilean Governments proposed that the CBD introduce a ‘fungal conservation pledge’ to better prioritise fungi in global conservation strategies.
This is great news for fungi. We are starting to see much more profile and attention given to the fungus kingdom and we will be seeking opportunities to work with the fungus community to build on this momentum.
In a truly historic decision, COP 16 delegates agreed to create a special advisory board for Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs).
This means that the voices and knowledge of IPLCs will be an integral part of the future of biodiversity and nature conservation decision-making.
Pre-COP there was general acknowledgement that this COP must strengthen the role of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, who are “the world’s great guardians of biodiversity, luminaries of sustainable use”. And this decision, has done just that!
This COP had big shoes to fill, being the first one since the landmark KMGBF was adopted in Montreal in December 2022, hailed the Paris Agreement for Biodiversity.
There was more interest than has ever been seen in a Biodiversity COP; we were among a whopping 23,000 other registered delegates, the High-level Segment was attended by six Heads of State, more than 130 Ministers and Vice Ministers, and over 70 leaders of international organisations.
And, staying true to its title of ‘the people’s COP’, for the first time ever in a CBD COP there was a Green Zone (differing from the Blue Zone where the negotiations take place), located in the centre of Cali, constituting an open fair for biodiversity, and attracting around 40,000 people daily. This felt like the true COP, vibrant, full of energy and lots of public engagement with the stalls and activities. Check out our video here.
Our week was (as you’d expect) lots of non-stop talking about plants, fungi and biodiversity. At the conference itself, we shared a booth with Botanical Garden Conservation International (BGCI) creating a hub for discussions of all things plants (and fungi).
We were there, to quite literally wave our (pink!) flags for plants and fungi, and the Global Partnership for Plant Conservation (GPPC). It was very busy and incredibly worthwhile.
Another common thread of the COP was the implementation of a ‘whole of society’ approach to conservation, which we at Plantlife have been encouraging for years. This, for us specifically meant emphasis that it is not the sole responsibility of botanists and botanic gardens to speak up for plants (in the form of these new actions), but all different sectors – the farmers, the foresters, the businesses, IPLCs, national and global NGOs.
We had fruitful and fascinating conversations with new and old friends including New York Botanic Garden, IUCN’s Reverse the Red, Key Biodiversity Areas, the Crop Trust and the IUCN’s Global Species Action Plan. And we connected with people from Mexico, Nepal, California, Switzerland, and Ruth Davies popped in to say hello as the new UK Nature Envoy (a former Plantlife employee and still a big Plantlife fan!).
Our Director of Conservation, Nicola spoke at the GSPC side event about how these new plant conservation actions will contribute not only to the implementation of the KMGBF, but also multiple other UN frameworks and global policies. It was clear this is a moment for plants!
Now that we’re back and the GSPC has been formally adopted, we can follow-up on the numerous connections we made, continuing to strengthen and grow our global network.
We will continue to advocate for the GSPC, particularly beyond the botanical garden world, so that we widen the understanding of the value and relevance of the plant actions and push for a broader societal to apply the actions within their own programmes and activities. Our aim is to make information more accessible and useful and to help bridge the gap from the science to conservation action on the ground.
Currently, a list of threatened and range-restricted plant species is being refined in New Guinea as part of the Tropical Important Plant Areas (TIPA's) project (2022-2024).
In Mozambique 57 IPA's have been identified, which is being used as focus for the Tropical Important Plant Areas team.
Here we delve into fantastic fungus folklore, to explore some of our favourite stories from fairy rings to Witches Butter!
Humans have had a connection to fungi for thousands of years, in more ways than one – we actually share a distant ancestor going back around 1.3 billion years. So it’s not surprising that our folklore, myths and legends contain mentions of these amazing organisms.
We’re exploring some of our favourite folklore tales. And if you’re inspired to learn more about the wonderful world of fungi, visit our Learn About Fungi page here.
Did you know that even the creation of fungi is shrouded in legend? The details differ from culture to culture, but there’s a few stories that remain the same.
For example, in ancient Egypt, they believed mushrooms were a gift from Set, the god of the desert, disorder, violence and the master of storms – springing when his lightning bolts hit the earth. Because of this, it is said that only the pharaohs were allowed to eat mushrooms!
In ancient Greece, there was a similar story, where mushrooms would appear after Zeus had hurled lightning from the sky. And it turns out that folk tale, might have more fact behind it than fiction! Research suggests that lightning could actually increase mushroom crops. In some cases, lightning hitting logs seeded with spores, has doubled how many mushrooms appear.
We (as humans) have a shared connection with fungi, so it should come as no surprise that fairy folk do too!Tales from all over the UK suggest that fairies have a fondness for fungi. In Wales, there’s stories of fairies using Parasol Mushrooms as umbrellas, to shield them from the rain, while in Scotland, it’s believed they actually use the flat fungi as dining tables for their feasts.
And of course, we couldn’t mention fairies, without discussing fairy rings! There’s countless tales of mysterious rings of toadstools that pop up overnight and they symbolise different things for different cultures. In Austria they are said to mark the places where dragons once breathed their fire. While there are lots of different explanations, one popular belief is that these rings are a portal into the fairy realm, and if you step inside them you will be transported.
While it might seem like a fun experience, the consequences are often extreme. Some suggest that stepping inside a fairy ring means you will die young, while others say that humans can’t enter the fairy realm so instead they become trapped in between worlds and invisible to both!
With mushrooms looking like everything from a human ear (Jelly Ear), to a tiny birds nest filled with eggs (Bird’s Nest Fungus), and with names from Witches Butter to Scarlet Elfcup, it’s not hard to see why mushrooms have long been associated with magic.
But the connection runs much deeper than that. There are many fungus species that have been linked with witches, for example often to a curse. It was once believed that fungi which caused negative effects such as moulding crops, were the result of a witches curse. And it was said to be likely that a witch had cursed you if an unsightly Stinkhorn appeared in your garden. Indeed, the fungus first appears in an egg shape and in this form it’s commonly known as Witches Egg.
But perhaps one of the best known tales is of the Yellow Brain (also known as Witches Butter). This wrinkled fungus would sometimes spring up on the threshold of a property. It was said that if it did, a witch had placed a spell on whoever lived inside. There was however one way to break it. Whoever lived in the property had to stick pins into the Yellow Brain – and when it disappeared, the spell was broken.
Fungi have long been associated with death, the afterlife and spirituality. They appear from underground, help to decay dead trees and leaves and even have names associated with the macabre. Take Dead Man’s Fingers, which looks just as creepy as it sounds – appearing like a dead hand reaching out of the ground. Then there’s Horn of Plenty, which is also known as Trumpet of the Dead – so called because it appears around the same time as Halloween, the time when the veil between the living and the dead is supposedly lifted. It is said that these black horn-shaped mushrooms are used to play music by the spirits of those who have passed.
Mushrooms have even been connected to the god of the dead in Lithunania, where it was believed that mushrooms are the fingers of Velnias, who tries to reach out of the underworld below, to feed the people.
We’ve touched on some mythical creatures, such as fairies and dragons above, but there’s more creatures with fungus connections. Scarlet Elfcup for example, which takes it’s name from the folklore that woodland elves were said to drink or bathe in water collected in the cups of the fungus. Then there’s Elfin Saddles, which are said to be sat on by elves as they ride around.
Fungi underpin the health of our environment and are key to resolving the climate, ecological and societal challenges we face. Your donation could help increase understanding of fungi and get them the support they need.
Join Senior Ecologist Sarah Shuttleworth for a deadwood date, as she shares what gets fungi swiping right on the wood wide web.
Chris Jones, the Warden of Kenfig National Nature Reserve, recently found the very rare fungus, during a routine survey.
Fungi are one of our most fascinating creations, and best of all, they are right under our noses – perfect for children to spot.
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