Caithness volunteers help rare Scottish primrose

Caithness Countryside Volunteers met yesterday (Sunday 12th November, 2006) to help improve conditions for an area of ground where the tiny Scottish primrose (Primula scotica) grows.

This beautiful, small purple primrose can only be found in the very north of Scotland and is under threat of extinction because of climate change.

Within the Dunnet dunes there is an area of low ground where the plant has always done relatively well. It is an area that Highland Council’s Rangers can take visitors to show them the little endemic jewel. Also growing in the area are other Scottish primrose from Dunnet forest transplanted here because their site was threatened by the construction of a timber loading area.

The Scottish primrose grows only in Caithness, Sutherland and Orkney and is endemic to Scotland, which means that it only grows in Scotland and cannot be found growing naturally anywhere else in the world. It favours short coastal turf. At Dunnet the local rabbits have grazed down the ranker grasses that might choke out the plant but recently rabbit numbers have dropped and primrose numbers have declined.

Mary Legg, Highland Council’s Senior Countryside Ranger said: “To improve the habitat the countryside volunteers have removed some of the old dead conifer scrub and scarified areas of turf  to encourage successful seeding of the flower. The removed scrub was sunk into eroding dune faces to act as a sand trap. Hopefully in future years we will see an increase in the numbers of this pretty flower. The next meeting of the volunteers is on December 10th 10.30 am. when we will be building bird boxes at the Ranger base Dunnet.”

For further information, contact Mary Legg on tel: 01847821531

The countryside rangers are part of Highland Council’s Planning and Development Service and are supported in their work by Scottish Natural Heritage.