Hull Biodiversity Action Plan

The Cowslip is a native plant found in old meadows, pastures, grassland, hedgebanks, open scrub and woodland clearings. In recent years it has often colonised churchyards and road verges. It is a perennial and flowers during April and May.

Cowslips are 10-15 cm in height. The flowers are deep yellow in colour and occur in clusters on a nodding stalk. The leaves are long, more or less oval, crinkled and downy. They are arranged in a rosette shape at the base of the stem.

CURRENT STATUS

The Cowslip is widely distributed throughout the British Isles. It was once very common but has been greatly reduced in numbers in recent years. A recent national study reported that less than half of Cowslips are found growing in their traditional habitat of meadows and pastures, compared with almost a third by the roadside. Their traditional grassland habitat is under serious threat.

The Cowslip also used to be frequent in the Hull area. It was formerly described as "exceeding common in every meadow of Holderness" (Robinson 1902). The Cowslip is now very scarce in Hull. It is found in hedge-bottoms on grassland at Priory Meadows and used to occur in a similar situation near Kingswood High School but was absent when recently surveyed.

CURRENT FACTORS AFFECTING COWSLIPS

The recent Government Countryside Survey suggested that at least 97% of unimproved grasslands were lost between 1930 and the mid-1980s. The study also indicated that plant diversity has declined in agriculturally unimproved grasslands between 1990 and 1998, diversity in some of these meadows decreased by as much as 8%.
The Cowslip is being affected by destruction of grassland habitat by modern agriculture, urban development and the pressure to keep remaining fragments of grassland 'neat and tidy' by fertilising and mowing. As a result of these changes the plant has become more reliant on less disturbed, man-made grassland areas like road verges.

CURRENT ACTION

Legal Status

All wild plants are given limited protection under UK law. Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) it is illegal to uproot any wild plant without permission from the landowner or occupier. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act (2000) has increased the penalties for offences against plants so that they are high enough to act as a deterrent.

Management, Research and Guidance

Plantlife and the National Trust are working together on a long-term survey of wild plant species to be carried out over the next 10-15 years, to provide important data for plant conservation. The Cowslip is already part of this initiative and the 'Cowslip Count' was launched in Spring 2000. Records were received from over 700 people, producing data on over two thousand places around the UK. The results will be used as baseline data. The Cowslip count will be repeated every 5 years and changes monitored.

Over the period of 1998 to 2000 the Hull Natural History Society members undertook a project to map the distribution of plants within the Hull area. The Cowslip was included in this survey.

ACTION PLAN AIMS

To make the Cowslip a familiar plant again.
To identify existing populations of Cowslip in Hull and manage those areas sympathetically.
To monitor known populations of Cowslip in Hull.
To manage grassland in a way which will benefit Cowslips.
To establish a nursery for raising plants of local origin that can be used for re-introduction.
To reintroduce Cowslips to suitably managed grassland.

WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO

Action	Target	Partner	Aim
Policy and Legislation
No policy or legislation proposed.
Habitat Management and Protection
Leave margins uncut on amenity grassland.	Short Term: Develop two example sites and produce a management plan. Medium Term: Leave uncut margins on half of the City's playing fields. Long Term: Leave uncut margins on all playing fields.	KuHCC (Parks and Open Spaces)	1, 2, 4
Relaxation of mowing regimes on grass verges and river/drain banks.	Short Term: Review mowing regimes. Medium Term: Relax mowing regimes where possible.	KuHCC (Highways), EA	2, 4
Collect seeds from existing populations.	Short Term: Remove a small number of seeds from existing populations.	HNHS	6
Establish a nursery for raising local plants.	Ongoing: Establish a nursery where local plants can be grown from seed for reintroduction	BGEEP	5, 6
Carry out reintroduction programme.	Short Term: Identify potential reintroduction sites.Medium Term: Reintroduce Cowslips to appropriate sites.	YWT, HWW	1, 6
Advisory
No advisory action proposed.
Future Research and Monitoring
Identify existing populations of Cowslip.	Short Term: Survey to identify existing populations of Cowslip.	HNHS	2, 3
Communications and Publicity
Use the Cowslip as a "flagship" species to demonstrate the success of the management /re-introduction programmes.	Medium Term: Article to highlight the reintroduction scheme.		1

WHAT WE CAN ALL DO

Let the Biodiversity Partnership know if you have seen Cowslips in Hull.
Ask for a wild flower strip to be made at the edge of your local school field.
Be aware that grassland managed for Cowslips and other wildflowers needs to be left uncut until later in the year.

LINKS WITH OTHER ACTION PLANS

The Cowslip will not survive if its habitat is not protected. The Grassland Action Plan will therefore be important in the conservation of the Cowslip.

REFERENCES

Akeroyd, J. (1999) The Encyclopaedia of Wild Flowers. Parragon, Bath.

Crackles, F.E. (1990) Flora of the East Riding of Yorkshire. Hull University Press & Humberside County Council, Hull.

Haines-Young, R.H et al. (2000) Accounting for nature: assessing habitats in the UK countryside. DETR, London.

Middleton, R. (2000) The Plants of Hull: A Millennium Atlas. (Retrieved January 2002, from http://www.hull.ac.uk/hullflora)

Robinson, J. F. (1902) Flora of the East Riding of Yorkshire. Hull.

Stace, C. (1997) New Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Streeter, D. (1998) The Wild Flowers of the British Isles. Midsummer Books, London.