Alexander Bowman

Rare Species Guardian for Chiltern gentian

I’m 19 and I’m one of the youngest Rare Species Guardians. I’m studying Environmental Management and Ecology at the University of Hertfordshire. My main survey area is Sundon Chalk Quarry, where I look for Chiltern gentians, which have purple, trumpet-shaped flowers. Chiltern gentians are nationally rare and generally only found in the Chiltern area, although they are more widespread in Europe. Surveying involves firstly checking that the plant is on the site, and then counting the individual numbers of the plant. I go out surveying with my dad Martin. I tend to look for the plants as it can involve scrambling up steep banks, and he logs the data. Some of the surveys we do are about historical sightings. There may have been a sighting at a particular location 30 or 40 years ago, and we still survey it as it’s all important information.

"How can we protect them if we don’t look for them?”

I first became involved in plant surveying through the Bedfordshire Natural History Society, and became a Wildlife Trust Rare Species Guardian in 2024. I’ve always been interested in plants, and do lots of gardening at home, especially with a focus on increasing the biodiversity of our garden. I think many people think that plants in the UK are boring, but if you look closely, they are amazing, and really beautiful.

I really enjoy being able to work with plants and the scientific side. I also like the social side of being a Rare Species Guardian. We have a WhatsApp group and people share what they’ve seen, it’s great to share that joy. We also go on regular walks and survey rare plants together. Many rare species are a good indicator of the overall ecological health of a site. If we find them, we can put in place appropriate conservation. It’s really important that we look for rare plants. How can we protect them if we don’t look for them?”

Caroline Gilby

Rare Species Guardian for annual knawel, smooth cat’s ear, basil thyme, silvery cinquefoil and yellow bird’s nest 

Being a Rare Species Guardian has helped me reconnect with the subjects I studied at university. Although I have a degree in Botany and doctorate in Horticulture, for a living I write about wine.

I think my passion for British botany started to reignite during Covid. I’m a keen runner, and during the times when we couldn’t run with other people, I’d plan my runs so that I could look for rare plants. I was just fascinated and I thought ‘I don’t know why I wasn’t more interested in this when I was younger’. I always kept an interest in flowers but going back to re-learning the British Flora has been good.

I’ve now been a Rare Species Guardian for four years. I live in Maulden and one of the fascinating things about this area is that you’ve got the Greensand Ridge and its dry sandy soil, then seven miles along you’re on Chiltern chalk, then Gault clay and Oxford clay. You’ve got so many different habitats close together, so that means lots of different flora.

The species I look after are annual knawel, smooth cat’s ear, basil thyme, silvery cinquefoil and yellow bird’s nest. Of these, I think annual knawel is my favourite, probably because I can find it so close to home, but I also like basil thyme, which is a very cute little plant.

"When I can make a difference and when I can see things are doing well, I find
that satisfying."

The results you get can vary dramatically. Two years ago, on a field edge I survey near Dunstable Downs, we had hundreds of basil thyme, but this year I only found five plants, perhaps because the soil has not been disturbed enough. Some of the plants are very sensitive to soil conditions and depend on soil disturbance to germinate, but too much soil disturbance can also be bad.

Being a Rare Species Guardian can be rewarding. When I can make a difference and when I can see things are doing well, I find that satisfying. We live in a very sanitised world and people are so disconnected from nature.