Communities called to celebrate and protect the UK’s irreplaceable meadows this National Meadows Day
Communities across the UK are being invited to reconnect with their local landscapes this National Meadows Day (Saturday 4 July), celebrating the cultural, ecological and historical importance of meadows – and calling for renewed action to protect them.
Aspen Bristle Moss Moved in Emergency Bid to Save Rare Scottish Population
Plantlife Scotland has carried out an emergency translocation of a rare moss Aspen Bristle Moss Nyholmiella gymnostoma after a fallen Aspen tree put the species’ Scottish population at risk.
Plantlife Celebrates 20 Years of Caring for Ranscombe Farm Reserve in Kent
Plantlife’s Ranscombe Farm Reserve will mark a major milestone this June as conservation charity Plantlife celebrates 20 years of protecting and restoring one of the UK’s most important wildflower sites.
Plantlife Scotland and RSPB Scotland have established a new Twinflower Linnaea borealis nursery in the Cairngorms to give the rare species a chance of recovery.
Wilder Together: Public More Likely To Let Lawns Grow If Neighbours Do
Plantlife’s No Mow May returns for 2026 – the annual campaign that encourages us all to manage our gardens for nature in May and beyond, letting wildflowers grow and supporting pollinators and small mammals that depend on them.
Join Thousands Across the UK Taking Part in the No Mow Movement
Plantlife’s No Mow May is back. No Mow May is one of the easiest ways to help the environment – letting wildflowers like dandelions, clover and daisies grow and supporting bees and butterflies.
Clod Rhyngwladol i Ffilm Gampus am Fwsogl, Wedi’i Chreu Gan Bobl Ifanc Niwroamrywiol
Mae ffilm am fwsogl — a honno wedi’i chreu gan bobl ifanc niwroamrywiol o’r canolbarth — wedi ennill llu o wobrau rhyngwladol yn y byd ffilm a’r celfyddydau, gan fwrw goleuni ar ran o fyd natur sy’n aml yn cael ei hanwybyddu. Mae’r ffilm hefyd wedi amlygu lleisiau’r bobl ifanc a fu wrthi’n astudio’r cyfan.
Award-winning Film About Moss Wins International Acclaim
A short film about moss — created with neurodiverse young people in mid Wales — has won a string of international film and arts awards, shining the global spotlight onto an overlooked part of the natural world, and the voices of the young people who explored it.
Mud-covered Bog Creature Spotted in London to Protest Peat Extraction
This morning, London commuters did a double take as a mud-covered figure emerged far from its natural home, normally preserved by peat bog, highlighting the devastating impact of commercial peat extraction.
Breckland Flora Group Celebrates a Decade of Safeguarding East Anglia’s Rarest Plants
The Breckland Flora Group – a volunteer-led group that has transformed understanding of some of the UK’s rarest and most threatened plants – celebrates its tenth anniversary this month.
One of Britain’s Most Endangered Orchids Back From the Brink of Extinction
One of Britain’s rarest and most endangered orchids has been brought back from the brink of extinction thanks to the pioneering work of Plantlife botanists and conservation partners.
Rare Aspen Bristle-moss Population Doubles in Scotland Thanks to Volunteers
The known population of Aspen Bristle-moss Orthotrichum pulchellum, a moss once thought extinct in the UK, nearly doubled in Scotland in a single afternoon following a survey near Dinnet, Deeside.
Niferoedd Mwy Nag Erioed o Ffyngau Prin a Nodedig Wedi'u Darganfod yng Nghymru a ledled y DU
Mae Gogledd Cymru wedi dod i'r amlwg fel llecyn allweddol ar gyfer rhai o ffyngau glaswelltir prinnaf a mwyaf trawiadol y DU, diolch i arolwg gwyddoniaeth y dinesydd Plantlife o ffyngau, Cyfrif Capiau Cwyr.
Statement from Plantlife Cymru – Clarity for Farmers, but Sustainable Farming Scheme Lacks Ambition and Finance to Drive Change for Nature
Welsh farmers get clarity about the Universal Layer of the upcoming SFS but the scheme lacks ambition and finance to drive change for nature. Quote from Lesley Fletcher, Head of Plantlife Cymru.
Mae staff cadwraeth yn dathlu llwyddiant ar ôl treialu rhoi geifr i bori yng Nghreigiau Stanner, Powys a gweld gwelliant amlwg yng nghynefin dau o’r bryoffytau sy’n wynebu’r perygl mwyaf yng Nghymru.
Conservation staff are celebrating the success of a trial at Stanner Rocks, Powys after grazing goats notably improved the habitat for two of Wales’ most at risk bryophytes.
Losing Ground: Call on Government to Protect Our Irreplaceable Meadows
Britain’s historic meadows are living archives of our cultural, farming and natural heritage – every bit as significant as historic buildings or monuments. Yet these irreplaceable habitats are vanishing at an alarming rate, now covering just 0.8% of England’s land in tiny fragments, totalling an area of around half of Cornwall (406 square miles).
Jane Madgwick starts as Plantlife International’s New CEO
Madgwick’s significant experience in international conservation, includes leading Wetlands International and the Global Commons Alliance, as well as regional director roles for WWF in Europe and Australia. In each case she built visibility and reputation and forged multi-sector collaborations to bring impact at scale.
Coedwigoedd Glaw Cudd Cymru: Y Coetir Hynafol Hudolus Nad Ydych Chi Wedi Clywed Amdano Erioed Mae'n Debyg
Mae ymchwil newydd a gomisiynwyd gan Plantlife Cymru i nodi Diwrnod Coedwigoedd Glaw y Byd (22 Mehefin 2025) yn datgelu bod mwy na hanner (55%*) pobl Cymru yn dweud eu bod yn deall beth yw coedwigoedd glaw tymherus ond eto mae nifer annisgwyl yn dal i'w cysylltu â gwledydd pell fel Brasil (44%*) – heb ddeall bod gan Gymru ei choedwigoedd glaw hynafol ei hun hefyd.
The UK’s Hidden Rainforests: The Magical Ancient Woodland You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
New research commissioned by Plantlife to mark World Rainforest Day (22 June 2025) reveals that while over half (58%) of people in the UK say they understand what a temperate rainforest is, a surprising number still associate them with faraway places like Brazil (45%) – unaware that Britain is home to its own ancient rainforests.
MP for North Herefordshire to Champion Rare Wild Plant
Plantlife is delighted to announce that Dr Ellie Chowns, MP for North Herefordshire, will act as Species Champion for Narrow-leaved water-dropwort (Oenanthe silaifolia), a slender wild plant that stands tall in wet, species-rich grasslands such as floodplain meadows
New National Nature Reserve Launched in Kent as Part of The King's Series
A wide partnership of organisations will launch a new National Nature Reserve (NNR) in Kent as part of the exclusive King’s Series of National Nature Reserves on 30 May at a special unveiling.
Local Authorities in Wales Urged to Rethink Grass Cutting Past No Mow May
Councils and organisations across Wales are being urged to put the brakes on the mowers and go beyond No Mow May — a powerful change that can help reverse decades of habitat loss.
Annog pobl i Ailfeddwl am Flodau Gwyllt wrth i Plantlife Cymru Lansio Mai Di Dor
Wrth i Plantlife Cymru roi cychwyn i’w ymgyrch Mai Di Dor flynyddol, mae data arolwg newydd ar agweddau Cymru tuag at blanhigion gardd yn datgelu bod llawer yn dal i ystyried blodau gwyllt fel chwyn, gan ddiystyru eu manteision i fywyd gwyllt a bioamrywiaeth.
Public Urged to Rethink Wildflowers, as Plantlife Launches No Mow May
As Plantlife kicks off its annual No Mow May campaign, new survey data on peoples’ attitudes towards garden plants reveals that many still regard wildflowers as weeds – overlooking their benefits for wildlife and biodiversity.
Rare lichen moved from Cornwall to East Anglia in bid to improve conservation status in UK
Plantlife has launched a conservation effort to transfer one of England’s rarest lichens from the North of Cornwall and reintroduce it to its historic home in East Anglia, more than 350 miles away.
Statement from Plantlife – New tree planting must not replace existing habitats of high nature value in Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS).
Datganiad gan Plantlife – Ni ddylai plannu coed newydd ddisodli cynefinoedd presennol sydd o werth uchel i fyd natur yng Nghynllun Ffermio Cynaliadwy (SFS) Llywodraeth Cymru.
New Hope for Dorset Meadows as Ryewater Farm Nature Reserve Expands
Plantlife’s Ryewater Farm Nature Reserve near Corscombe, North Dorset, is to be expanded following the purchase of 4.45 acres (1.8ha) of land neighbouring the existing site, so it can be restored to species-rich grassland.
Statement from Plantlife – New Nature Envoy must ensure that the UK leads by example in delivering rapid and positive action for nature recovery around the world
Nicola Hutchinson, Director of Conservation, Plantlife said: “We welcome the appointment of Ruth Davis, a former Plantlife member of staff, as the UK’s first special envoy for nature. It demonstrates that the Government is serious about pushing for global action on protecting and restoring the natural environment and reversing the rapid decline in biodiversity." Read the full statement below.
Statement from Plantlife – Fungi: The once forgotten kingdom
Nicola Hutchinson, Director of Conservation, Plantlife, said: “Plantlife is delighted to see fungi recognised as an independent kingdom of life through this new pledge. It endorses the critical roles of fungi across so many aspects of our lives which, historically, have failed to be a priority for conservation action." Read the full statement below.
Hope for rare woodland flower as Scottish conservation project is roaring success in the Cairngorms National Park
The rare and illusive One-flowered Wintergreen Moneses uniflora, a small flowering plant found in pine woodlands, has defied expectations of Plantlife Scotland and partners in the UK’s first ever project to restore the species.
Major retailers, B&Q and the Co-op, sign letter urging UK government to legislate to end peat sales
A letter signed by more than 100 retailers, compost manufacturers, nursery owners and conservation charities calls on Keir Starmer and his cabinet to urgently legislate to end peat sales – bringing an end to years of uncertainty.
Join the waxcap hunt: charity calls on public to report sightings of rare colourful fungi
Conservation charity Plantlife is today calling on people across England, Wales and Scotland to take part in this year’s Waxcap Watch (2 September – 31 December 2024) to help conservationists both protect rare grassland fungi and find fragments of surviving ancient meadows.
Extinct plant reintroduced to the wild in Wales after 62 years
Rosy Saxifrage, a beautiful mountain plant that went extinct in 1962, has been reintroduced into the wild in Wales by Plantlife and partners – marking a significant moment for nature recovery.
Planhigyn diflanedig yn cael ei ailgyflwyno i'r gwyllt yng Nghymru ar ôl 62 mlynedd
Mae Tormaen Gwyddelig, planhigyn mynydd hardd a ddiflannodd ym 1962, wedi’i ailgyflwyno i’r gwyllt yng Nghymru gan Plantlife a’i bartneriaid – gan nodi moment arwyddocaol ar gyfer adferiad byd natur.
Plantlife's No Mow May – Join the movement and let it grow
Almost half (46%) of people intend to mow no more than once this May, Plantlife reveals as it launches its blossoming No Mow May campaign encouraging all to mow less and later for nature.
Mae bron i hanner (46%) y bobl yn bwriadu torri eu glaswellt ddim mwy nag unwaith yn ystod mis Mai eleni, yn ôl Plantlife wrth iddo lansio ei ymgyrch Mai Di Dor i annog pawb i dorri llai ac yn hwyrach ar gyfer byd natur.
Iris Hill's 'Fragile Nature' exhibition chronicles a conservation journey
Fragile Nature, a new art exhibition from Plantlife's first ever Artist in Residence, is about to be unveiled. The exhibition highlights rare plants, and explores the relationship between art and conservation.
Plantlife Planting Plant Conservation at the Core of COP28 Climate Talks
Plantlife is teaming up with WWF (the World Wide Fund for Nature) at COP28 to press for better recognition of grasslands and savannahs, alongside other habitats.
Three Hagges Woodmeadow – A New Reserve for Plantlife
The new reserve will enable Plantlife to protect wildflowers and fungi, while working at the forefront of conservation efforts to restore grasslands, and to create woodmeadow ecosystems.
Plantlife is calling for volunteers to join a citizen science project, NPMS, that monitors the effect of pressures facing the countryside on wild plants.
All UK Habitats to be Impacted by Exposure to Climate Change
All UK habitats to be impacted by exposure to climate change – but some more than others. Read about how the NPMS’ work and a new study bringing together data on the UK’s climate, land cover and ecological monitoring, is deepening our understanding of changes.
10th Anniversary Celebrates Growth of Coronation Meadows
Charities involved with the Coronation Meadows project have done an audit revealing a fantastic success. 101 new wildflower meadows have been created or restored since the Coronation Meadows project began a decade ago.
National Highways and Plantlife announce biodiversity boost in Cornwall
National Highways and Plantlife have joined forces to launch a new £463,200 Meadow Makers project that will improve habitats in Cornwall, benefitting people, nature and wildlife.
National Highways and Plantlife announce biodiversity boost in Hereford
National Highways and Plantlife have joined forces to launch a new £372,600 Meadow Makers project that will improve habitats in Hereford, benefitting people, nature and wildlife.
Plantlife welcomes NatureScot’s Objection to Plans for a Luxury Golf Course at Coul Links
We welcome NatureScot’s Objection to the proposal to turn the nationally and internationally protected Coul Links into a golf course and their recognition of the harmful impacts that it will have to the dune system.
Plantlife’s No Mow May – Join the movement and liberate your lawn
More and more people are embracing wilder lawns and the bountiful biodiversity benefits they bring says Plantlife, as it reveals that 92.4% of those who surveyed lawns last year chose to No Mow May – give the lawnmower a month off and let wild flowers get summer ready
Glaswelltiroedd Gwydn – New £1m Grassland Project in Wales
Plantlife is delighted to be awarded a Nature Networks Fund (round 2) grant of £1 million to restore Welsh grasslands in and around Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). We will be working with PONT and North Wales Wildlife Trust, to deliver grassland conservation across Wales.
Plantlife Scotland are delighted to secure £31,500 for the Transformative Action for Cairngorms Grasslands project, to protect these iconic Scottish landscapes against climate change and biodiversity loss.
100 meadows across 100 historic sites over the next decade – English Heritage’s Coronation pledge
To celebrate the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III, Plantlife is joining forces with English Heritage to enhance and create 100 meadows at their heritage sites.
Britain’s rare rainforests re-energised by Plantlife and partners’ conservation work
Plantlife rediscover 15 fragments of lost rainforest and report 60 new species records. Rare and threatened lichens saved from dying trees through emergency translocation operations.
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