Walk away the blues, with Britain's prettiest flowers
Martin Holroyd
This April - June, why not put a spring in your step by joining the Ramblers ‘Bluetiful’ bluebell strolls season. The stroll will help gather info on one of our best loved flowers; the under-threat British bluebell (1).
The bluebell walks season will take place across the country in 100+ locations, from April to June 2010. It is part of an ongoing campaign with the Natural History Museum (2) to better understand one of our most iconic and threatened spring flowers and discover more about our changing climate and countryside. Walkers are encouraged to join a bluebell walk, help ‘spot’ different types of bluebells, and enter their findings into a Natural History Museum online survey when they get home. Experts will use this crucial data to build a map of where the different types of bluebell are flowering. This is the 4th year running that the Ramblers have helped to contribute to research on British bluebells.
The expert-led walks are free, open to all, and offer a chance to see some of Britain’s most beautiful woodland and countryside at its loveliest. Although the walks vary in length and difficulty – from family friendly 5, to 14 mile walks - all contain swathes of beautiful bluebells.
Tom Franklin, CEO of the Ramblers, comments: “The deep blue hue and gothic arches of the British bluebell, currently under threat from hybridisation, have brought immeasurable pleasure to walkers throughout history. What better way to help preserve these flowers, than putting on your boots and joining a led bluebell walk through Britain’s loveliest countryside this Spring and Summer?”
‘For many the bluebell is Britain’s favourite flower and an important sign of the start of spring’ said Dr Fred Rumsey, botanist at the Natural History Museum. ‘We’re now keen to know when our Bluebells start flowering to help decide whether the genes within the hybrids between Spanish Bluebells and native British bluebells have altered their flowering time, or is spring just starting earlier? ’
For details of Ramblers led bluebell walks visit. For details of the Natural History Museum led campaign and online survey www.nhm.ac.uk/bluebells .
Find a Bluebell walk near you
1. The Spanish bluebell (Hyacinthoides hispanica) and its cultivated varieties were introduced to British gardens more than 200 years ago. Bluebells for Britain, a 2004 report by Plantlife, highlighted concerns that hybridisation may be having negative effects and could threaten the future of the native bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta). The charity analysed 4,000 records sent in by the public and it was found that one in every six of the woodland sites surveyed were also home to Spanish and hybrid flowers. Hybridisation can alter the genetic make up of a species and make it harder for it to survive. It can also make it harder to accurately identify the different bluebell types. Using field studies and genetic research, scientists at the Natural History Museum have selected a new set of characteristics to aid identification. The public will be testing these characteristics as part of the survey. Bluebells for Britain is available to download at www.plantlife.org.uk.
The Ramblers has been working with the National History Museum/ Plantlife for 3 years, to encourage its members to fill details of bluebells spotted into an online survey to help experts map where bluebells grow in the UK and when they flower. Scientists use the information to learn about the evolution of and relationship between Britain’s bluebells, and measure the risk to our native species.
2. The Natural History Museum is a world-leading science research centre. In the new Darwin Centre, visitors can discover the collections and watch scientists as they prepare, mount and study some of the Museum's millions of insect and plant specimens to understand the major threats facing our planet today. Through its collections and scientific expertise, the Museum is helping to conserve the extraordinary richness and diversity of the natural world with groundbreaking projects in 68 countries.
