More wildflowers are set to take root in the Howardian Hills National Landscape thanks to a link up with Yorkshire Water.
The utility company is working on an ambitious wetland project in South Yorkshire to reduce storm overflows discharging into rivers. The work has seen a series of interconnecting ponds planted with over 200,000 wetland plants to help treat water and break down pollutants and nutrients.
Now as a spin off about 30,000 plants have been donated to the Howardian Hills’ Forgotten Flora project, which will use about a third of them in the 79 square mile National Landscape. The Howardian Hills is also acting as a hub to donate the remaining plants to other areas, ranging from Merseyside to Manchester and Nidderdale to the North York Moors. Most will take root within the next few weeks.
Ellie Hook, Manager of the Howardian Hills National Landscape, said:
“We are delighted that Yorkshire Water has donated these plants to our scheme and to other projects in the North of England. Wildflowers have suffered serious declines over many decades with knock on impacts for biodiversity. Wildflowers like Water Plantain, Marsh Marigold and Water Mint are very much part of the countryside but can also help mitigate the effects of heavy rainfall and soil erosion. It’s good to be working together to make a difference in the countryside.”
The Forgotten Flora scheme is a project to revive threatened flora in North Yorkshire. It has planted over 15,000 plants of lesser-known wildflower species over the last two years. Currently funded by the Howardian Hills National Landscape the scheme has worked with over 100 volunteers to help restore flora in areas such as the Yorkshire Arboretum, Crayke Community Fields, Hovingham village, Westow playing field and Howsham Mill.
Experts estimate that 97% of the UK’s wildflower meadows have been lost since the 1930s. That has had a huge impact on bees, butterflies and soil quality, all of which makes projects like Forgotten Flora incredibly valuable.