Rare UK Orchid Brought Back From Near Extinction
A rare wild orchid once on the verge of disappearing from the UK has been brought back from near extinction thanks to years of dedicated conservation work.
According to the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland’s latest vascular plant red list, the Fen Orchid (Liparis loeselii) is no longer classified as under threat in Britain—marking a major conservation milestone.
Long-Term Conservation Partnership Leads Recovery Effort
Since 2008, Cambridge University Botanic Garden, working alongside Plantlife and Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, has led efforts to reintroduce and boost populations of the Fen Orchid.
Tim Pankhurst, former conservation manager at Plantlife, said: “Playing a leading role in reducing the threat status of such a beautiful yet mercurial orchid is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a botanist and one I will always treasure.”
Why the Fen Orchid Declined in the UK
This delicate species naturally grows among moisture-retaining mosses within reedbeds and depends on specific moss and fungal partners to survive.
Its historic decline has been driven primarily by the drainage and abandonment of fen habitats, which stripped the orchid of the environment it needs.
Back in 2010, the Fen Orchid survived at only three sites in East Anglia and one site in Wales.
Today, it has been recorded at seven sites in England and three in Wales, with the UK population now exceeding 10,000 individual plants.
Collaboration at the Heart of Fen Orchid Success
Mr Pankhurst, who devoted his career to protecting the species before retiring in April, said the success of the recovery programme was rooted in close collaboration between organisations.
“As we face the enormous challenges of climate and biodiversity loss, this provides a moment of genuine hope for the future and is a testament to what dedicated partnership conservation work delivered consistently over many decades can deliver,” he said.
“You don’t achieve successes like this on your own.”
Cambridge University Botanic Garden also confirmed this is the first time the Fen Orchid has ever been successfully cultivated in Great Britain.
Experts Warn Continued Conservation Is Essential
Peter Stroh, scientific officer at the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, described the upgraded status as “excellent news” for one of the UK’s rarest plants.
He said: “It’s important to remember that the Fen Orchid remains a conservation-dependent species.
“The challenge now is to ensure that the Fen Orchid continues to thrive in its current locations and, either naturally or with a helping hand, flourish in former sites and new places within its native range in the coming years.”
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At Natural World Fund, we are passionate about restoring habitats in the UK to halt the decline in our wildlife.
