Scottish conservationists have brought a rare and historically significant plant back from the brink of extinction to now thrive and even triple in size. This plant is the sticky catchfly, a unique and beautiful plant native to Europe that has been dwindling in numbers across Scotland.
As BBC reported, the Future Forrest Company enlisted volunteers to restore a native woodland site in the Ochil Hills, a range of steeply-sided, rounded hills that stretch 25 miles northwest of Edinburgh.
The volunteers have been removing sheep and roe deer from the area to prevent overgrazing. Weed growth has also negatively impacted sticky catchfly growth.
During a three-day survey, the volunteers counted at least 10,000 flowering sticky catchfly stems, around 7,000 more than existed 11 years ago.
"We were blown away by the willingness of so many people and organisations to help us count the number of plants up in the crags," Lindsay Mackinlay, Future Forrest Company's head of ecology, told the BBC. "We are even more delighted that the plant appears to be doing really well since we have reduced the grazing up there."
The sticky catchfly is an important plant in Scottish culture. Records of kings admiring it date back to the 1500s. In addition to its cultural significance, it is also an important part of the Scottish ecosystem.
According to the BBC report, this habitat restoration effort is also benefiting common rockrose plants, which Northern Brown Argus butterfly caterpillars feed upon.
All species on our planet are interconnected and intrinsically linked in ways that even scientists don't fully understand — which is why it's important to educate ourselves about climate issues. Fortunately, worldwide conservation projects are incorporating new technologies to save endangered species and revive everything from plants to birds in the sky and fish in the sea.
Stuart Bence from NatureScot said, per the BBC, "To see the species going from being on a knife-edge to recovering so well is fantastic and just goes to show the benefits that the changes to land management in the area have brought about."
The conservationists hope to work with other land managers to expand sticky catchfly growth throughout the region even further in the future.
The University of Edinburgh supports the project and commented on the news via a LinkedIn post, "We are proud to be a part of this!"
"Fantastic news," another LinkedIn user wrote in the comments.
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