NATURE lovers are being urged to get involved in a new project to protect and help regenerate rare plant species in upper Teesdale.
Many of the flowers, which grow nowhere else in the world, have been found to be under threat following surveys by renowned botanist Dr Margaret Bradshaw.
The 95-year-old last year took on an epic 88km horse trek to highlight the threat to the plants while raising cash to fund more studies in the hope of finding ways to reverse their decline.
Subsequently, the Teesdale Special Flora Trust she set up landed a £222,400 grant from the government’s Green Recovery Challenge Fund to involve more people in the project.
The project has since been named Plants on the Edge.
Dr Bradshaw said: “It’s going to help us to take the first steps to reverse the catastrophic decline in the rare flora of Teesdale.
“This flora is very special – it is worthy of treasuring and protecting.”
Former primary school teacher and geography enthusiast Naomi Priestley has been appointed as the project’s volunteer and engagement officer.
She said a three-pronged approach would be taken to save the plants.
Ms Priestley added: “The plan for Plants on the Edge is to enable more volunteer botanists to survey the dales, to work with local schools and groups on arts outreach related to the flora, and to raise the overall profile of the Teesdale assemblage through exhibitions, talks and improved web and social media content.”
She said the plants were initially surveyed by Dr Bradshaw in the 1960s and 1970s, but more recent surveys had shown huge decline in the number of plants, including a drop of 98 per cent in Alpine cinquefoil and a drop of 54 per cent in spring gentian numbers.
The hope is that along with help from enthusiastic amateur botanists, the project will also encourage schools and groups such as the Scouts to get involved.
Ms Priestley said: “The project is about letting people know what is on their doorstep and how that is unique in the world. Those plants are here because of the geology and geography of the landscape and it is so fragile.”
Plants on the Edge is being delivered by the trust in partnership with Northern Heartlands and the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Partnership, along with support from the Raby and Strathmore estates.
People and groups who would like to get involved can contact Ms Priestley by email at naomi.priestley@northern heartlands.org.
