Our Coast, Our Sea - Orchid extravaganza

29 March 2011

Orchids are the hidden jewels of our wildflower meadows, and their finest hour comes in the summer months, when their colours erupt across many of The Wildlife Trusts’ nature reserves throughout the United Kingdom.

A new guide from The Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts shares where there are around 50 species of orchid in the UK, ranging from the common spotted orchid, to the extremely rare military orchid.

Sadly, the hay meadow habitat many rely on has declined by 98% since the 1950s. The Wildlife Trusts are working hard to protect those that remain, and many grassland reserves are currently thriving with wildlife.

The new guide entitled ‘40 places to see orchids’, lists some of The Wildlife Trusts’ best reserves for the wildflowers around the UK. It is available to download free of charge at wildlifetrusts.org\orchidsites.

One of the sites featured is Northumberland Wildlife Trust’s East Chevington reserve. This reserve is under continual development having been passed to the Trust following opencast restoration in 2003.

The two large lakes with fringing reedbeds, grasslands and newly planted woodland make this reserve a prime birdwatching sport as well as a good place to see northern marsh and lesser butterfly orchids.

Steve Lowe, Head of Conservation at the wildlife charity said: “Wildlife Trusts throughout the country have long been the guardians of a fantastic variety of orchid species, all of which are beautiful indicators of a healthy grassland environment.”

He continued: “I hope the new guide will inspire visits to these reserves,
and spark a desire to help protect them through supporting local wildlife
trusts such as Northumberland Wildlife Trust which is working hard to restore and recreate declining habitats in the Region such as wildflower meadows.”