'Save the Cairngorms' wildflowers!' campaign starts
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A new ambitious four-year project is under way to save the Cairngorms' wildflower meadows.
Led by Plantlife Scotland and supported by SNH and the Cairngorms National Park Authority with cash from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project aims to channel people’s love of the Cairngorms to help save wildflower meadows, rare pinewood plants and Arctic alpine flora of the internationally important Cairngorms.
The unique wild flora of the UK’s largest national park is severely threatened by habitat loss and climate change. Action will be taken for:
Rare and beautiful Caledonian pinewood plant species such as the elusive one flowered
wintergreen – one of our rarest pinewood flowers, and the fairy like twinflower, beloved for its
tiny, pink, bell shaped flowers. The remaining isolated populations of these species are now on
the verge of extinction, struggling to produce seed for future generations. These species will be
the focus of the most dramatic translocation work to bolster populations and increase genetic
diversity.
The mountain habitats of the Cairngorms are home to the most arctic alpine vegetation found in
the UK, including extensive areas of arctic-boreal heaths in Britain, rich in cloudberry, reindeer
lichen and bearberry. These hardiest of species shelter in snow-beds – at the edge of their natural
range, and with nowhere left to go, they act as an indicator of climate change. Monitoring these
species using new technology will help scientists understand the pressures on this fast-changing
habitat from climate change and atmospheric pollution.
Cairngorms few remaining wildflower-rich acid grasslands are often overlooked and ailing but can
support a myriad of wildflowers such as heath bedstraw, tormentil, devil’s bit scabious and
harebell, whilst remnants of unimproved grasslands can sport colourful and rare waxcap fungi and
the upland hay meadows are home to sweet vernal grass, wood cranesbill and melancholy thistle.
Ambitions
restore five wildflower meadows for future generations to enjoy
establish five new populations of twinflower through targeted re-introductions
introduce rare and endangered one-flowered wintergreen to two new sites
work alongside landowners to restore and protect waxcap grasslands
develop technology to monitor and understand the impact of climate change on fragile mountain-top habitats
Plantlife’s Gwenda Diack, project manager, said “We want people to re-connect with the rich wild plant
heritage of this truly special part of Scotland, whether through the rekindling of wild plant folklore,
celebrating current uses or taking action to help save rare plants. The Rare Plants and Wild
Connections project will harness the power of citizen science and our love for the Cairngorms to restore
and protect some of the rare plants and fungi of our pinewoods, meadows and mountains”.
Iain Madonald, SNH’s plant advisor said “The Cairngorms are home to some of our most rare and beautiful
plants, and we know that people in the area care a great deal about these special species.
"We look forward to supporting this project to build on that connection and encourage more people to get hands
on to help restore and protect these internationally important habitats and their precious plants.”
Rebecca Watts of the Cairngorms Nature Partnership said: “It's a fantastic opportunity to realise action for the park's ancient grasslands, Caledonian pine forests and montane environments with action plan species including waxcap fungi, twinflower, and one-flowered wintergreen - whilst benefiting people too!
"The Cairngorms National Park is home to over a thousand species of regional, national and international importance, for many the Cairngorms is their last stronghold.
"This project delivers the Cairngorms Nature Action Plan, building on current and previous work by Cairngorms Nature - an informal partnership of organisations and people with a commitment to the precious wildlife of Cairngorms National Park”.
Mairi Brown, Voluntary Action in Badenoch and Strathspey said: “Supporting organisations and linking people
through volunteering is a key area of our work.
"As the scope of the project is so extensive there is something in it for all ages, abilities and interests. Indeed, it may attract people who have never considered volunteering before. We have a very strong culture of children and young people volunteering and this project is a great opportunity to offer conservation experience to them.
"This initiative is about looking after some very fragile aspects of our local ecosystem. If a care and love of nature is your thing, then this project is your thing.”
Caroline Clark, director Scotland, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “We are delighted to support this
exciting project which connects people with the Cairngorms outstanding natural heritage. Who could resist
finding out more about reindeer lichen, melancholy thistle and wood cranesbill – this project offers citizen
scientists a fascinating insight into Scotland’s rich plant-life.”
