Orchid extravaganza
Friday 15th April 2011
Coming to The Wildlife Trusts’ reserves near you
Orchids are the hidden jewels of our wildflower meadows, and their finest hour comes in the summer months, when their colours erupt across many of The Wildlife Trusts’ nature reserves. A new guide from The Wildlife Trusts shares where…
There are around 50 species of orchid in the UK, ranging from the common spotted orchid, to the extremely rare military orchid. Sadly, the hay meadow habitat many rely on has declined by 98% since the 1950s. The Wildlife Trusts are working hard to protect those that remain, and many grassland reserves are currently thriving with wildlife.
The Wildlife Trusts have long been the guardians of some of our rarest wild orchids
The new guide 40 places to see orchids, lists some of The Wildlife Trusts’ best reserves for the wildflowers around the UK. It is available to download at www.wildlifetrusts.org\orchidsites.
Paul Wilkinson, head of Living Landscape for The Wildlife Trusts, said:
“The Wildlife Trusts have long been the guardians of some of our rarest wild orchids - Durham Wildlife Trust’s Bishop Middleham site is, arguably, the best place in the UK to see dark red helleborine, and Berks Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust’s Homefield Wood nature reserve is one of only three sites in the UK where the military orchid can be found.
“Many other reserves are fantastic for seeing a variety of orchid species, all of which are beautiful, and indicators of a healthy grassland environment. We hope our new guide will inspire visits to these reserves, and spark a desire to help protect them through supporting local Wildlife Trusts and their Living Landscape schemes, which aim to restore and recreate declining habitats such as wildflower meadows.”
Story by RSWT
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Image credit: Amy Lewis