Falklands Conservation

Falkland Plants Join List of Threatened Species

For the first time plants in the Falkland Islands have been included in the 2003 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the world’s most authoritative inventory of the conservation status of plants and animals. Island populations are highlighted as being under serious threat particularly from the effects of invasive alien species, grazing animals and habitat destruction. Following a co-ordinated effort by the South Atlantic Plant Specialist Group, of which Falklands Conservation is a member, vulnerable native plants from the other UK Overseas Territories in the South Atlantic, Tristan da Cunha, St Helena and Ascension Island, are also now incorporated into the Red List.

Twenty three Falkland plants are listed.

One of the plants on the List is Moore’s Plantain, Plantago moorei This plant, restricted to the south-west of West Falkland is known only from a very small area of one farm.

Hairy Daisy, Erigeron incertus, is also classified as threatened. Although relatively widespread, it occurs only in small populations. It is thought to be vulnerable to grazing pressure and habitat degradation.

The main threat to Falkland plants is grazing, which has altered the entire Falklands ecosystem since human occupation. Loss of tussac grass cover, changes in the spread of whitegrass and the reduction in many species of native herbs and small flowering plants can all be attributed to agricultural practice over the last 200 years. There is also a constant threat from fire, prevalent on windy islands with thick peat cover. More recently, pasture improvement programmes and agricultural alterations on a large scale have also impacted the flora. Lack of relevant legislation notably the requirement for Environmental Impact Assessments means that little or no determination of impact on flora is assessed prior to the commencement of these programmes.

There are some hopeful signs however. Our publication Flowering Plants of the Falkland Islands has raised awareness of those most threatened plants. Over the past five years the development and addition of records to a Falkland botanical database has increased knowledge of those hot-spots which may be vulnerable. Improved legislation has now been extended to all of the plants in the Red Data List affording them statutory protection. The development of a Falklands Herbarium has also led to a wider appreciation of the native flora. In order to protect many of these threatened plants more work on their distribution is required. Falklands Conservation urgently needs further botanical expertise to determine the distribution of many of these special plants and so ensure their protection.

Threatened Falkland Plants
IUCN Red List
Click here to purchase acopy of "Flowering Plants of the Falkland Islands"

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