A Forgotten World, Critical for Our Survival
Over the summer, Plantlife undertook a series of plant surveys at Bunloit, looking at all things flora. Little did we know what wonders would be discovered, unnoticed by many in favour of wildlife. Alistair Whyte, head of Plantlife Scotland, reflects on his time at the estate, highlighting the importance of plants.
It’s not every day that you trip over a ballerina in a field. We were wandering across the grasslands at Bunloit when we found a small scattering of fungi bursting up through the tangle of grass. Ballerina, or pink, waxcaps (Porpolomopsis calyptriformis) are scarce in the UK, and even rarer in Europe, meaning that this country is one of the most important places for them.
Ballerina Waxcap
Not only are they rare, but they’re also good clues as to the condition of the habitat. They don’t cope well with disturbance, or the ‘improvement’ of grasslands through the application of fertilisers. This means that they are only found in undisturbed grasslands which have likely been in existence for a very long time. Finding this species at Bunloit was a clue that the grassland habitat here is undisturbed, and therefore extremely important. We’ve lost most of our unimproved grasslands over the last hundred years, largely through modern agricultural methods. Protecting the remnants we have left is a key conservation priority – these habitats are host to hundreds of species, from plants and fungi, through to invertebrates. They’re packed full of life – and they’re amazing!
It’s finds like this that highlight why Plantlife got involved with the Bunloit project. We’re a plant conservation charity focused on the restoration and protection of wild plants and fungi. The small things, that grow maybe only a few inches from the ground, cling to tree bark or rocks, or spend most of their life underground, unseen, get a rough ride. They tend to get forgotten, they often get overlooked, and as a result, we’re seeing more and more species become threatened with extinction.
This would be a bad thing simply because we’re losing species, but it becomes even worse when you stop to think, and realise that plants are the building blocks of all ecosystems. There simply wouldn’t be any life if it wasn’t for plants! That golden eagle, that panda, or that wolf, is pretty amazing, but it can’t convert sunlight into energy. Everything ultimately depends on these primary producers, which build the complex ecosystems that we enjoy, and that we’re trying hard to restore. If you lose the plants, you lose everything.
The good news is that the Bunloit project has recognised the importance of plants, and we’ve been working hard with the team there over the summer to build a full picture of the plant life which is present on site. We’ve brought in a group of some of the best specialist ecologists, and we’ve discovered a lot!
Lobaria pulmonaria
The grasslands are really important, as we’ve seen, and sensitive restoration of these as the project moves into the next phase, could see them become some of the best for species-richness in the area. The woodlands and ravines are packed full of lichens, with species which indicate significant continuity, meaning that these woodlands have been here for a long time. Plus, they look spectacular – you don’t need to be a lichenologist to enjoy the hazels and ash trees festooned with tree lungwort (Lobaria pulmonaria) and green satin lichen (Lobaria virens). It’s quite extraordinary to find a hazel dripping with so many lichens that you can’t even see its trunk!
We’re pulling together our findings, which we’ll be presenting alongside management recommendations plus some ideas as to how the Bunloit team can continue to monitor these species and habitats as the project develops over the coming years.
We’ve learned enough over the last few months to know that Bunloit is a very special place, with huge potential for ecological restoration. It’s been very rewarding to be able to shine a light on the species that are the foundation of, and essentially create, the ancient grasslands, the peat bogs, the heaths and the twisted, tangled woodlands.
Alistair Whyte - Head of Plantlife Scotland
Find out what our results are from the baseline surveys at our COP26 event, tickets here.