Colour in the Margins

What is the habitat for the Colour in the Margins project?

The colourful hues of cornfield flowers were once a familiar part of our arable landscape. Sadly they are also the fastest declining suite of plants in the UK. Fascinating, sometimes rare, and often overlooked - they are frequently threatened by the arable farming on which they depend. This has a knock-on effect for other wildlife, including ground beetles, bats and birds.

Why is this habitat at risk?

Arable habitats have been affected by modern farming practices such as the increased use of herbicides and fertilisers, changes from spring to autumn growing, and increased competition from modern crop varieties. These have reduced the chances that cornfield flowers have to spread and grow.

How we coloured in the margins

This Back from the Brink project, led by Plantlife, focussed on 13 species; 10 plants, and three ground beetles. Conservation work for these had benefits for many other threatened species, particularly 14 birds, two bryophytes, eight mammals, three insects and eight other arable plants. We developed ways to reintroduce and manage for these species, and worked to bring them back to suitable sites. We worked extensively with farmers and landowners to encourage them to take up these techniques.

We captured community recollections of animals and plants of the arable landscape, arranged farm visits, and provided training workshops, advice and guidance for farmers. We introduced people to the habitats by a programme of activities and volunteering.

What we achieved

Amongst many other things, we undertook an extensive programme of 69 reintroductions of target arable plant species to establish new populations, trialling new methodologies and producing best practice guidelines. Volunteers contributed by carrying out arable plant surveys and collecting seeds for deposition at Kew Millennium Seed Banks, as well as taking part in reintroductions, assisting with creating publications and data management, and increasing their plant identification skills through training. Thanks to the collaboration between our project team and the Royal Agricultural University, the next generation of farmers and advisors are now inspired and informed about arable plants through their degree courses.