Wildlife

More than half of native plants are under threat in the UK and Ireland

More than half of the UK and Ireland’s native plants are in decline - and invasive species now outnumber native flora.These are the stark conclusions of a 20 year research project published in Plant Atlas this week.

The report paints a bleak picture of how climate change is decimating local ecosystems in both countries.According to the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI), 53 per cent of native plants and 62 per cent of ancient introductions have declined since the 1950s.In contrast, 58 per cent of modern introductions have increased.