Removing some trees helps to reduce transpiration. And needing somewhere to dispose of the arising Sarah has tried filling the drains with logs and chips. It should keep the area wetter throughout the year (dipwell is installed to see).

Hopefully the remnants of fen vegetation can be restored.

Oh ok. I always think of pennywort being Hydrocotyle vulgaris (aka marsh pennywort)

Looks lovely.

I think the big roundish leaves are Navelwort, they have an in-y bellybutton. 😜

Also worth remembering that there are things other than large animals and pretty looking things.

Plants and unattractive invertebrates are just as worthy of consideration. And work on how to reintroduce some fungi might be useful, as they are little studied at present.

I hope you are right. LNRS definitely have potential, but need a range of organisations (councils, NGOs, landowners etc) to all buy into it. I suspect some areas it will work, and other areas it won't have much effect. But hopefully better than if it didn't exist.

It's just another iteration of Biodiversity Action Plans in a way, but with added maps.

It's not clear how they will get used; I suspect it won't lead people's thoughts, but be an afterthought to justify what someone wants to do already. (Or that was my experience of BAPs).

But has potential

There are divergent opinions.

Maybe conservationists need to set their priorities, and see how far they can get implementing it.

Other groups can, and will, have different priorities. But that doesn't mean conservationists should run round like a headless chicken.

Yes, he complained. But wanted some human contact, so had to relent.

Although fairly high level, the @yorkswildlife.bsky.social blueprint for bringing Yorkshire's nature back does make a start. Limestone and wetland areas more important, some Yorkshire Species of Concern identified... But this could be built on further.

www.ywt.org.uk/bringing-yor...

The Natural England Species Recovery Fund does tend to funnel people in a direction for species related work. But with so many other funding sources (and non-expert people reviewing many funding applications) it's a free for all.

I would welcome clearer guidance on priorities in conservation

This was in 2024, but we're planning a trip to Jamie's in March (to look for a willow), so I'll let you know if he's still alive then. Or if the sunshine sets him on fire.

🧛

In a similarly novel way, my biggest site is in an area that used to be extensive lowland fen. But drainage and digging lakes to make places for birds means it will never be like it was 500+ years ago. But there are still echoes of the past.

And you're right, never enough money!

It's much easier to compare a site against a real (if historic and unrepeatable) example than to measure your site against a mass of possibilities that may or may not be achievable.

Historic reference points will always be used. But as you say it doesn't mean it's the only thing to refer to.

An interesting challenge, I think many people will know more things than they realise (or will need minimal help).

Those wanting help could join their local botany group to meet like minded people, such as
@ynuorg.bsky.social
@sorbynathissoc.bsky.social
Doncaster Nats
Barnsley Nats
Bradford Botany

That's fine, it's useful to get contributions from a range of people, and if (I hope) the book will encourage lots of different people to record a wider range of things, then almost anyone in YNU is the target audience and would benefit from a review from someone like them

Are you a member of @ynuorg.bsky.social ? Would you write a short review of this when you've read it for the YNU newsletter? I think people might be interested