A £350,000 project at the Lizard National Nature Reserve in Cornwall is set to aid rare coastal lichens, wildflowers, and butterflies by creating and conserving “micro-habitats” across the landscape, announced the National Trust.
The endeavor, funded by Natural England, aims to bolster wildlife recovery throughout the 2,400-hectare (5,900-acre) reserve, home to numerous “Lizard specialities” exclusive to the UK.
Focused on preserving micro-habitats found on cliffs, bare rocks, ditches, pools, and tracks, the project targets the conservation of minute lichens, liverworts, and plants. Key species, including rare crusty lichens, wild asparagus, twin-headed clover, and grayling butterflies, are the focal point.
Despite being one of the nation’s wildlife-rich areas, the Lizard is witnessing a decline in several species, with some facing extinction due to factors like climate change, invasive species such as Hottentot fig, and pollution, as per the National Trust.
The charity’s efforts involve clearing ivy from serpentine rocks—an essential lichen habitat—scrub clearance, pond excavation, and creating scrapes for plants requiring bare disturbed ground for germination. Controlled heathland burning and firebreak construction aim to enhance habitats for plants like bristle bent and sheep’s fescue, essential for grayling butterfly caterpillars.
Moreover, the establishment of firebreaks seeks to shield isolated species from wildfires, increasingly prevalent due to climate warming.
Pony and cattle grazing will contribute to creating a diverse mosaic of heathland habitats, benefitting wildlife.
According to Seth Jackson, National Trust project manager, a 2020 review indicated a 40% decline in vital plant species, with several, such as twin-headed clover and dwarf rush, becoming fragmented and lost from numerous sites over four decades. Expanding wild populations and promoting natural recolonization are deemed crucial in mitigating climate change impacts.
Karen Shelley-Jones, Natural England species recovery programme manager, expressed delight in collaborating with the National Trust on the project, emphasizing its significance in mitigating extinction risks for threatened species.
Andrew Byfield, technical adviser to the National Trust, stressed the project’s importance in safeguarding the Lizard’s unique landscape and its diverse flora and fauna, both rare and common.