Endangered Irish herbs

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Climate change puts fifth of Ireland's native plants on danger list

By McKittrick, Ireland Correspondent

Published: 14 December 2007

The Irish government has launched a major campaign to protect the country's

plant life following a report that one-fifth of native species are endangered by

climate change. The authorities are to spend ?15m (£11m) on a five-year

educational campaign which will include advertising and public information in an

effort to promote lifestyle change and improvements in business practice.

Ireland has a relatively small number of native species of flowering plants,

many of which have declined in numbers and even disappeared in parts of the

country in recent years.

The new study - by Wyse , director of the National Botanic Gardens

of Ireland - says 171 native plant species, 20 per cent of the total flora, are

vulnerable to climate change. The report warned: " There is a wide range of

species that are potentially vulnerable to the predicted Irish climate changes.

Natural habitats for many threatened plants may no longer be able to support

their indigenous species. "

Some of the endangered species have intriguing and enchanting names, including

shrubby cinquefoil, Alpine lady's mantle, weasel's snout, dwarf spike-rush,

corky-fruited water-dropwort and Irish lady's-tresses.

Among the culprits being held responsible are expected increases in

temperatures, more frequent storms and an increase in extreme conditions such as

floods, heatwaves and droughts.

The decline in plants which has already been recorded is attributed to a variety

of reasons such as changing agricultural practices, mowing of roadside verges,

drainage schemes, overgrazing, housing developments and the growing number of

golf courses.

Experts have already warned that harm has also been caused by the more prosaic

pastime of picking wild flowers, which has led to a decline in plants such as

the Killarney fern and even common species such as bluebells.

With 11 Irish native flora - including the Scaly Buckler fern - already either

extinct or extinct in the wild, a threatened-plant conservation programme has

been established to begin researching threatened species.

The government's five-year strategy, which was announced by Gormley, the

Environment minister, who is a member of the Green Party, will focus on

heightening public awareness and reducing Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions.

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