RARE PLANT BOUNCES BACK AT NATURE RESERVE IN ST LAWRENCE

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is celebrating a strong year for one of the UK’s rarest plants, field cow-wheat, at St Lawrence Field Nature Reserve – the world’s smallest Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Approximately 10,000 plants have been recorded this Summer, marking the best year since the population peaked in 2021.

This resurgence is a positive sign that the Trust’s dedicated habitat management work is paying off, despite increasing challenges from climate change.

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Field cow-wheat (Melampyrum arvense) was once widespread across southern England but has declined sharply due to habitat loss and agricultural intensification. Today, it survives at just four sites – and only one of those, St Lawrence Field, is considered a native population that has persisted without reintroduction.

The population count, carried out by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust in partnership with the Species Recovery Trust as part of an annual survey, shows the population is responding well to targeted habitat management of the site. This includes rotational cutting and careful control of scrub to maintain the open, species-rich grassland the plant depends on.

Emma Hunt, Senior Reserves Officer, Wilder Wight & Solent at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.

“Field cow-wheat thriving at this scale is hugely encouraging. We’ve been carefully managing St Lawrence Field Nature Reserve for several years, and this year’s boom is a clear sign that our long-term, targeted conservation work is paying off.

“The plant relies on a delicate balance of species-rich grassland and scrub to thrive – a balance which we have been worked hard to get right through targeted habitat management.

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“This tiny but mighty reserve is proving how even the smallest spaces can have big impacts for biodiversity when managed sensitively.”

Dominic Price, Director of The Species Recovery Trust coordinates the national conservation programme for this species:

“Field cow-wheat is not only a spectacular plant but is also now one of our rarest wild blooms, with this site now considered to be the only surviving native site. So, to see it growing this well, especially in a year where many sites have been stricken by drought and high temperatures, is just amazing.’ The charity is working to re-introduce the plant to many of its extinct sites, but it remains a very challenging species to work with.”

St Lawrence Field Nature Reserve, a small arable site perched above the Island’s undercliff, was designated a SSSI in 1993 specifically to protect its population of field cow-wheat. At just 0.2 hectares – roughly the size of 2 ping-pong tables – it is believed to be the world’s smallest SSSI.

Field cow-wheat is a herbaceous flowering plant of the broomrape family. It is hemiparasitic, meaning it draws some of its nutrients from other plants. The species is known for its striking spiked clusters of purple and yellow flowers, which grow on branching stems. Its leaves grow on opposite sides of the stem, which are lanceolate (long, pointed and wider in the middle, like the tip of a lance) and may have toothed edges.

Verity Foster, Reserve Officer (Isle of Wight), at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, adds:

 “This species is clinging on at just a handful of sites in the UK, and to witness such a strong recovery here fills me with hope.

“This is a conservation milestone not just for the Isle of Wight, but for the country.”

While there is no direct access to the reserve itself, a public right of way runs alongside it, offering good views of the site. A small section of public footpath crosses the south-east corner and connects with the Isle of Wight Coast Path just beyond the southern boundary.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust encourages the public to support local conservation efforts and to discover more about their nearby nature reserves. Visit the Trust website to find out more and how to become a member: hiwwt.org.uk