Botanical records and their role in shaping nature conservation priorities and actions – an English perspective

Abstract

The species distribution maps in the Atlas of the British Flora (1962) had a profound impact on the development of nature conservation policies and priorities in Britain. Many lists of ‘important species’ used by conservationists today have their origins in these maps. Selection criteria for Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) make considerable use of such lists, with 573 SSSIs in England notified for one or more named vascular plant species or for assemblages of nationally rare and scarce plants. A review of the SSSI series in England is underway, while SSSI selection guidelines for vascular plants are in the process of being revised. The SSSI review aims to identify where amendments to existing SSSIs are needed and to propose new sites, where necessary, to fill gaps in the current series. Botanical records are critically important to this review, as they are to the monitoring of vascular plants on SSSIs and other protected sites, and to targeting and assessing the effectiveness of agri-environment schemes. The current Natural England/BSBI Memorandum of Agreement is designed to encourage closer working between the two organisations, founded on a mutual understanding of the key role that botanical records, and recorders, continue to play in shaping nature conservation priorities and actions ‘on the ground’.

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank John Martin and Ian Taylor for assistance in the drafting of this paper; and Paul Myland and John Bedford for providing up-to-date SSSI figures. Andy Brown, Tim Hill and Tony Robinson kindly read and commented on the draft. We also wish to acknowledge the helpful and challenging comments of two anonymous reviewers – the paper is much improved thanks to their thoughtful input.