Latest news with #JonoLeadley
BBC News
09-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
New nature reserve to return rainforests to Yorkshire Dales
A new temperate rainforest in the Yorkshire Dales could prove to be a "vital oasis" for wildlife, people behind the scheme would be planted on a 16-hectare (40 acre) site at Park Gill near Kettlewell, to encourage the growth of mosses and create a carpet of ferns and flowers, the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust (YWT) rainforests used to grow along the damper western parts of the British Isles, but were largely destroyed over hundreds of years by grazing and conversion to other uses, the trust Leadley, north regional manager at YWT, said the new reserve would "give us a great opportunity to restore and expand this fantastic habitat". Temperate rainforest - also known as Atlantic woodland or Celtic rainforest - is the name given to rainforests which have high rainfall and humidity and a low annual variation in temperature.A wide range of trees grow in them, including sessile oak, birch, rowan, holly, alder, willow and hazel. The YWT said they can provide a home to red squirrels and pine martens, as well as threatened birds like wood warblers, redstarts and pied Leadley said: "Woodland is at a premium in this part of the Dales, and species such as black grouse which cling on in the area will also benefit from more berry-bearing bushes such as hawthorn in the landscape."This new reserve promises to be a vital oasis for wildlife in the Dales, and we cannot wait to see what wildlife it attracts as a result."We hope this beautiful site will be a haven for wildlife and a beautiful place for people to enjoy." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
NDTV
05-06-2025
- Science
- NDTV
New Rare Wild Orchid Seen In UK For First Time In 100 Years
A new lady's-slipper orchid, once believed to be extinct in the UK, has been spotted in the wild for the first time in 100 years following a decades-long conservation drive, experts said Tuesday. Over-picking by Victorian collectors, gripped by the orchid craze of the time, was thought to have made the yellow cup-shaped and purple-petalled plant extinct by the early 1900s. But a single plant was discovered in a remote location in the Yorkshire Dales in northern England in 1930. Its location was kept secret and volunteers have since provided round-the-clock monitoring to prevent it from being stolen. Last summer, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust -- supported by various conservation groups -- discovered the first new lady's-slipper orchid to appear in the wild since then, it said Tuesday. It is the culmination of a decades-long bid to bring back the flower, and has sparked hopes that it could one day be restored across its former range in northern England. Yorkshire Wildlife Trust secured a grant from Natural England's species recovery programme two years ago to protect the habitat, rearing many new orchids and reintroducing plants into suitable terrains. The new plant was spotted at one of the reintroduction sites, meaning planted-out orchids had produced seeds that had germinated into new plants. Jono Leadley, managing the project on behalf of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, called it a "truly thrilling moment". "To see a healthy population of lady's-slipper orchids back in their native area that are now reproducing themselves gives us real hope for the future," he said. The orchids were propagated by London's Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew, after a call for help was issued in the 1990s. That led to a small number of privately-owned, wild-sourced orchids being offered as part of a breeding programme. "Trying to save the lady's slipper orchid in England has been one of RBG Kew's flagship conservation projects for many years," said RBG Kew's senior research leader Mike Fay. "It is a long-lived species, with seedlings taking many years to grow to the stage where they can flower and produce the seeds that will give rise to the next generation," he added.
Western Telegraph
04-06-2025
- General
- Western Telegraph
Rare UK flower, lady's-slipper orchid, is found in the wild
The lady's slipper orchid came close to vanishing from the English countryside. Now, work by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust to reintroduce plants into suitable habitats has seen it found again. The trust said the discovery of the new plant in the wild was a 'truly thrilling moment'. Poisonous Plants Found in the UK Rare UK flower lady's-slipper orchid is found in the wild The lady's-slipper orchid was believed to be extinct in the UK by the early 20th century, due to over-collection by plant hunters and the loss of its habitat. However, a single plant was found in a remote location in the Yorkshire Dales in 1930, which prompted round-the-clock protection by decades of dedicated volunteers. Efforts to boost the orchid's population began in the 1990s and plants were reintroduced to locations in the north of England, with the location kept secret to avoid theft. The project, since 2023, has been led by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and supported by partners Natural England, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, the National Trust, Plantlife and the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI). Two years ago, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust secured a grant from Natural England's species recovery programme to ramp up the work protecting the habitat, rearing many new orchids and reintroducing plants into suitable habitat. Reintroductions were carried out at three new sites in Yorkshire and several hundred new orchids were produced to be planted out in future years. In June last year, an orchid which had grown naturally at one of the reintroduction sites was discovered. Jono Leadley, managing the project on behalf of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, said the discovery of the new plant in the wild was a 'truly thrilling moment'. He said: 'To see a healthy population of lady's-slipper orchids back in their native area that are now reproducing themselves gives us real hope for the future." Native wild animals in the UK Kevin Walker, of BSBI, added: 'The discovery of this naturally regenerating seedling represents a significant turning point for one of our rarest and most threatened plants, and is testament to the dedication of hundreds of volunteers and enthusiasts who have carefully nurtured it back into the wild. 'It provides evidence that this beautiful plant can, with a bit of help from us, re-establish itself across its former range.' What are the rarest flowers in the UK? According to the Woodland Trust, the lady's-slipper orchid is among the rarest flowers in the UK. It said the orchid is "one of the most endangered plants in the UK". Recommended reading: Others include the ghost orchid, one-flowered wintergreen, twinflower and crested cow-wheat. Extinct plants in the UK include the lamb's succory, last recorded in Oxfordshire in 1971, the downy hemp nettle, not seen since 1975, and the davall's sedge, which left the UK in 1852. The Woodland Trust says development, climate change, and changes in land use put rare plants at risk of extinction.
Ammon
04-06-2025
- General
- Ammon
New rare wild orchid seen in UK for first time in 100 years
Ammon News - A new lady's-slipper orchid, once believed to be extinct in the UK, has been spotted in the wild for the first time in 100 years following a decades-long conservation drive, experts said Tuesday. Over-picking by Victorian collectors, gripped by the orchid craze of the time, was thought to have made the yellow cup-shaped and purple-petalled plant extinct by the early 1900s. But a single plant was discovered in a remote location in the Yorkshire Dales in northern England in 1930. Its location was kept secret and volunteers have since provided round-the-clock monitoring to prevent it from being stolen. Last summer, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust supported by various conservation groups discovered the first new lady's-slipper orchid to appear in the wild since then, it said Tuesday. It is the culmination of a decades-long bid to bring back the flower, and has sparked hopes that it could one day be restored across its former range in northern England. Yorkshire Wildlife Trust secured a grant from Natural England's species recovery programme two years ago to protect the habitat, rearing many new orchids and reintroducing plants into suitable terrains. The new plant was spotted at one of the reintroduction sites, meaning planted-out orchids had produced seeds that had germinated into new plants. Jono Leadley, managing the project on behalf of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, called it a "truly thrilling moment". "To see a healthy population of lady's-slipper orchids back in their native area that are now reproducing themselves gives us real hope for the future," he said. The orchids were propagated by London's Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew, after a call for help was issued in the 1990s. That led to a small number of privately-owned, wild-sourced orchids being offered as part of a breeding programme. "Trying to save the lady's slipper orchid in England has been one of RBG Kew's flagship conservation projects for many years," said RBG Kew's senior research leader Mike Fay.
Rhyl Journal
03-06-2025
- General
- Rhyl Journal
Rare UK flower, lady's-slipper orchid, is found in the wild
The lady's slipper orchid came close to vanishing from the English countryside. Now, work by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust to reintroduce plants into suitable habitats has seen it found again. The trust said the discovery of the new plant in the wild was a 'truly thrilling moment'. The lady's-slipper orchid was believed to be extinct in the UK by the early 20th century, due to over-collection by plant hunters and the loss of its habitat. However, a single plant was found in a remote location in the Yorkshire Dales in 1930, which prompted round-the-clock protection by decades of dedicated volunteers. Efforts to boost the orchid's population began in the 1990s and plants were reintroduced to locations in the north of England, with the location kept secret to avoid theft. The project, since 2023, has been led by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and supported by partners Natural England, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, the National Trust, Plantlife and the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI). Two years ago, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust secured a grant from Natural England's species recovery programme to ramp up the work protecting the habitat, rearing many new orchids and reintroducing plants into suitable habitat. A post shared by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust (@yorkshirewildlifetrust_) Reintroductions were carried out at three new sites in Yorkshire and several hundred new orchids were produced to be planted out in future years. In June last year, an orchid which had grown naturally at one of the reintroduction sites was discovered. Jono Leadley, managing the project on behalf of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, said the discovery of the new plant in the wild was a 'truly thrilling moment'. He said: 'To see a healthy population of lady's-slipper orchids back in their native area that are now reproducing themselves gives us real hope for the future." Kevin Walker, of BSBI, added: 'The discovery of this naturally regenerating seedling represents a significant turning point for one of our rarest and most threatened plants, and is testament to the dedication of hundreds of volunteers and enthusiasts who have carefully nurtured it back into the wild. 'It provides evidence that this beautiful plant can, with a bit of help from us, re-establish itself across its former range.' According to the Woodland Trust, the lady's-slipper orchid is among the rarest flowers in the UK. It said the orchid is "one of the most endangered plants in the UK". Recommended reading: Others include the ghost orchid, one-flowered wintergreen, twinflower and crested cow-wheat. Extinct plants in the UK include the lamb's succory, last recorded in Oxfordshire in 1971, the downy hemp nettle, not seen since 1975, and the davall's sedge, which left the UK in 1852. The Woodland Trust says development, climate change, and changes in land use put rare plants at risk of extinction.
