Alistair Whyte stands in Fife’s wildflower fields, surrounded by a rainbow of colours. He delivers a grim warning.
He points out statistics that show that the UK has lost 97% its wildflower meadows in the last 100 years, and warns us that we may lose the rest.
He says, “It’s difficult to imagine another habitat that has suffered such a devastating decline in such a brief time.”
Plantlife Scotland’s conservation head, Mr Whyte, said: “If today you are standing in a wildflower field, you will be in one of the most endangered habitats.”
At the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Cullaloe natural reserve, Mr Whyte stated that: “Here, in Scotland, this loss has been as severe as anywhere else in the UK, and, if current trends continue to accelerate, we will lose all our species-rich lowland meadows before the end of this century.”
Experts believe that intensive farming practices and construction projects have contributed to the rapid decline of many of these habitats.
Conservationists have a lot of concerns about the fragmentation of grasslands rich in species, making it more difficult for bees and butterflies that move across the landscape.
Mr Whyte warns that there are many species “teetering at the edge” who rely on meadows.
He mentions the Scottish Primrose, which can only be found along the north coast of Scotland or Orkney, as well as rare orchids that “are just hanging on”.
He says that there are certain species we know of that depend on these habitats. If we lose them, we will lose the species entirely.
“Species like the common blue butterfly (which you might see here) are dependent on wildflowers such as bird’s feet trefoil.
“We can find the great yellow bee if we travel to the extreme edges of Scotland. They used to be common in the UK back when wildflower meadows weren’t as prevalent.
Wildflower meadows are part of a complex ecosystem. They can be lost and the entire chain will unravel, leading to total loss.
Conservationists face a difficult task: how to make meadows more visible in the public’s mind.
Fiona Guest, Scotia Seeds’ only commercial wildflower seed manufacturer, said that people tend to take meadows as a given.
She said, “There is a phenomenon called “plant blindness” – it’s the belief that plants are always a background to other things.
“Meadows are, however, particularly invisible. While we see trees better, we don’t understand how meadows are like tiny forests. They provide food and shelter for many different kinds of animals and, in some cases, knit the ground together.
However, all is not lost in this fight to save these habitats.
Plantlife Scotland is working closely with NatureScot in order to restore and create meadows throughout the country.
The Scottish government agency has already established wildflower meadows in several of its national nature reserve, including St Cyrus and Flanders Moss.
Plantlife has been granted a grant by the Scottish Government to create “a comprehensive evidence basis” for grasslands in Scotland. Plantlife believes that if we don’t know where grasslands rich in species are, we can’t protect them.
Plantlife will play a crucial role in the development and implementation of an action plan to protect Scotland’s grasslands.
It wants to push for new subsidies to farmers in order to “manage these areas properly” and to have them “recognised and protected, and restored”.
Jeanette Hall, a NatureScot botanist, says that a lot is being done to restore and create meadows.
She said: “Meadows have a crucial role for Scotland’s native plants and hoverflies and other pollinating insect species, as well for small mammals such as mice, voles, yellowhammers and skylarks. They are also good foraging areas for bats.
“Meadows are important for combating climate change because the soils of meadows retain carbon very efficiently.”
Local authorities and members of the public are being encouraged to take action to reverse the decline in habitats.
Plantlife and other conservation groups encourage people to allow their small gardens to grow wild before removing them at the end.
Alistair Whyte says, “What it will do is allow a whole variety of wildflowers flourish, where perhaps before you had grass.”
Even if you don’t have a garden you can ask your council to manage the roads verges near where you live in a manner that is less harmful to wildlife and more beneficial to plants.
“You can ask them not to cut as much, but they will cut later. Wildflowers will flourish in your area.”
He says, “Road verges are becoming increasingly important as refuges to some of the species we used to find wildflower meadows.
They can be great for wildflowers if they are properly managed.
Source: Scottish Wildlife Trust
