Salvia pratensis – Meadow Clary
Meadown Clary Reintroduction in Monmouthshire
A project by NRW, National Botanic Garden Wales, Bristol Zoo and Treborth Botanic Garden to bring back the Meadow Clary plant (Salvia pratensis) from extinction in the wild Wales at a site in Monmouthshire.
Blog Post
News story 'Rare plant saved from extinction' by Natural Resources Wales
Salvia pratensis – Timeline for conservation
1903 |
First recorded at Caldicot Monmouth |
1950’s |
Cattle grazing the site but populations remained healthy |
1960s |
Electric fence but around the site, plants declining in health and vigour |
1970’s |
Good recovery and 27 plants recorded in next few years into 1980’s |
1983 |
SSSI notified by management plan elapsed in 1993 |
2001 |
Site in poor condition – only 2 plants recorded. Grass rank with nettle and creeping thistle – no bare or disturbed ground – cattle grazing flower spikes |
2003 |
Work on site to allow germination by opening ground to expose bare soil |
2003 |
Trevor Dines collected seed under Plantlife licence and sown at his home, one plant given to Treborth |
2008 |
Critically endangered in Wales |
2009 |
Treborth plant was the only surviving in Wales |
2010 |
Reintroduction programme with Natural Resources Wales |
2011 |
Six plants from Treborth stock taken to Bristol Zoo for cross fertilisation with plants from Gloucestershire – then to National Botanic Garden to Natasha De Vere. |
2012-15 |
Treborth continued to grow the 24 seedlings – 9 large and 17 small plants |
Oct 2015 |
24 plants were taken from Treborth to Rectory Meadow in Monmouthshire for reintroduction. |
2016 |
Monthly monitoring to assess growth, grazing pressure and slug damage. |