One of the BSBI’s initiatives over the last decade or so has been the promotion of County Rare Plant Registers. Each RPR is a mini Flora, containing details of just the rarest species in the county, together with up-to-date information on how they are faring.

An important feature of the Rare Plant Registers is that they should be standardised, so that all use similar categories of rarity. Bear in mind that they do focus on rarity not conservation significance, and many counties have also drawn up lists of ecological indicator species to complement their RPRs. One of the main reasons for producing an RPR is not so much to conserve the species as to make sure we have accurate information on at least the rarer plants.

The guidelines for inclusion are roughly as follows:-

• Any plant that is nationally rare (see Martin Wigginton’s 1999 Red Data Book) or threatened i.e. included in The Vascular Plant Red Data List (Cheffings et al, 2005).
• Any plant that is nationally scarce (i.e. in Scarce Plants or more recent lists using the same category).
• Any plant that is rare in the county (i.e. present in three or fewer “Wells Sites” or moveable 1km squares).
• Any plant that is scarce in the county (10 sites or fewer) and declining.

The full, detailed guidelines are available for downloading as a pdf document here.

All of the above categories count only for native species, but some non-native species can be included if they are long-established and of cultural significance (i.e. archaeophytes).

The threat to rare plants from collecting or deliberate damage is often given as a reason for keeping locations secret. However, in most cases we feel there is more risk to rare plants from people not knowing where they are than there might be from vandalism. By providing good quality information on the distribution of plants, the BSBI enables government agencies and conservation organisations to direct their resources more efficiently. As many rarities grow on nature reserves, it is often essential to inform the owners, managers and users about the species that are there so that suitable management techniques can be employed.

For this reason, the BSBI encourages the production of Rare Plant Registers and their widespread dissemination. Please note, however, that readers should not trespass on private land to see plants and anyone visiting the countryside should always follow the Countryside Code and the botanists’ Code of Conduct.