Rare Arctic-alpine plants in Upper Teesdale to be protected in £65,000 conservation project

A three-year project to protect some of Upper Teesdale’s rare Arctic-alpine plants is due to begin after a £65,000 grant was awarded.

Teesdale Special Flora Research and Conservation Trust will work with volunteers to collect seeds and plant them on the hills of Upper Teesdale.

The project aims to support research and conservation while raising awareness of the vulnerability of the region’s special flora.

The trust’s founder, Dr Margaret Bradshaw, said: “This project is critical to supporting ongoing research and conservation of these rare species.”

The trust is also raising £15,000 to support the project.

Protecting Upper Teesdale’s rare flora

The £65,000 grant was awarded to the trust by North Pennines National Landscape through the Government’s Farming in Protected Landscapes programme.

Upper Teesdale has an “unusually high number of rare plant species”, including the Teesdale Assemblage.

The Teesdale Assemblage is a “unique community” of 20 rare and endangered Arctic-alpine plants. They are thought to have “lived on since just after the last ice age”, between 10,000 and 12,000 years ago, according to a spokesperson.

Sarah Tooze, natural heritage programme manager at the North Pennines National Landscape, said: “We look forward to working with local farmers on ways to support these vulnerable species.”

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