Nature Recovery Programme

As I think I have mentioned before there is a national Nature Recovery scheme just getting underway. Each area of the country has to work out its own plan.
The Arnside/Silverdale National Landscape is working out its own plan and Mrs. K. Is very much involved in the Botanical side of this.
Today she went to a meeting of 20 volunteer recorders to agree a strategy.

It was agreed that it was essential to have an accurate record of what grows here and where it grows. Only then can monitoring take place each year to allow us to understand what effect human activity and climate change are having so that efforts can be made to counter these.
Of course recording has gone on for the past half century but it needs be less random and more systematic.  There are over 900 wild plants, trees and shrubs in our area. Over the past few months Mrs. K. has worked to build a file listing the past records of these.
With a small group of botanical friends she has also chosen 50 of our most uncommon plants and 20 of the richest locations. These are being adopted by the 20 enthusiastic amateur botanists who were at the meeting today. The reference file details where these special plants grow and what grows in the special areas.
My Blip shows sample pages from Mrs.K’s reference file

Whilst this meeting was taking place I was walking round Leighton Moss in the rain. But I enjoyed sitting in some hides and particularly watching a Great White Egret. A very elegant bird. See extras.