A bit depressing

[Harvestman]

Last year I tried to find all 16 species of orchid that are known to occur in my home county of Gwent. I found 14 in the end.

However, the best find was a single Lesser Butterfly orchid, at its only known site in the county. Despite extensive searching on more than one occasion, I only found one plant. The year before three plants had been reported, and it has been in a steady decline for some time.

I went back for it today, and found nothing. Unless there are a few viable seeds in the soil that may come up next year, the species is probably extinct in the county.

I found it rather depressing. I may never see another one of these ever again.

 

[copper_head]

Lets hope they come up next year .

What sort of factors could be causing its decline?

 

[Harvestman]

Lets hope they come up next year .

What sort of factors could be causing its decline?

Not really known. We don't know all that much about managing to encourage orchid species. We know what they like, and can try and maintain their habitat, but we don't really know much about improving things for them. This site is not being managed at all, or at least not for orchids. It is forestry commission land.

 

[blacktimberwolf]

To be brutally honest, there just wasn't a viable population & it's disappearence is/was inevitable........ it was probably enviromental factors that are responsible for it's decline, inadapted to the habitat ? climate change ? soil acidity ? pollution ? disease ? absence of symbiotic organisms ? the list is long.

 

[Elen Sentier]

Not good . Would it be possible to reintroduce from elsewhere? As you don't know why it declined that would be a very risky business as the introductions might well not like it either.

 

[blacktimberwolf]

Not good . Would it be possible to reintroduce from elsewhere? As you don't know why it declined that would be a very risky business as the introductions might well not like it either.

It is classed as a 'vulnerable ' species Elen so there may be legal restrictions about removing it from other fragile populations & re-introducing it else where..

& also if the habitat, for what ever reason, is no longer suitable for this plant, what would be the point ?

 

[Ronnie]

Following the non-existent spring we had this year, I've seen a lot less bees this year. A lack of pollinators isn't going to help the survival of endangered flora. Then there's the neonicitinoid pesticides which they're oly now reluctantly taking action against.

I'd be cautious assuming that these orchids aren't out there just because you can't find one. A county is a big place and orchids are good at hiding

 

[Angst]

.....and all the more reason why us bushcrafters and bcuk and so on have a responsibility to educate others, our children etc as to the horrible state of this beautiful world and the wonders it contains....to understand and respect the natural world, its bio-diversity and its eco-systems.

it may be that nature has done this....but probably not.....and i, for one, feel ashamed.

s

 

[ged]

A couple of weeks ago I went to take a look at a grassy bank not far from here where there has always been a lovely show of bee orchids in recent years.

Someone had dug them all up and taken them.

 

[Harvestman]

To be brutally honest, there just wasn't a viable population & it's disappearence is/was inevitable........ it was probably enviromental factors that are responsible for it's decline, inadapted to the habitat ? climate change ? soil acidity ? pollution ? disease ? absence of symbiotic organisms ? the list is long.

I quite agree that it was a matter of time for this population, but it is still depressing to be the one to actually see it go, as it were. One less species for the next generation to see.

.....and all the more reason why us bushcrafters and bcuk and so on have a responsibility to educate others, our children etc as to the horrible state of this beautiful world and the wonders it contains....to understand and respect the natural world, its bio-diversity and its eco-systems.

Totally agree.

A couple of weeks ago I went to take a look at a grassy bank not far from here where there has always been a lovely show of bee orchids in recent years.

Someone had dug them all up and taken them.

That is even more depressing than my story