Proposals are in place to protect a colony of rare orchids within Talkin Tarn Country Park.

The Brampton beauty spot is one of the few areas in the UK to have the Narrow-leaved Helleborine (Cephalanthera longifolia) - an orchid with long, narrow leaves and white flowers - growing in the wild.

The plant is found only in a few regions of the UK and only about 80 colonies remain but almost half of these have only two or three plants and are not likely to survive much longer without conservation action.  The present sites are mostly in the west of Scotland and in Hampshire. The orchid has declined significantly in the last 30 years and is now classified as ‘Vulnerable’ - considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.

At Talkin Tarn, protection measures have been drawn up with help from local and national experts to ensure that the rare orchid is conserved for future visitors to see. An area of woodland will be fenced off, protecting the orchid and helping to prevent soil erosion. New steps will be built to help visitors to continue to enjoy the woodland paths in safety.

In addition to protecting the orchid the fence will help prevent trampling, erosion and soil compaction all of which have a detrimental effect on the range of other plants and fungi that occur in the area – particularly the fungus which the orchid relies on.

Areas of path within the proposed enclosure suffer from heavy erosion and are alongside steep banks, making them dangerous to anyone using them. Placement of a fence will allow these paths to re-establish vegetation and recover naturally over time.

Cllr Ray Bloxham, Portfolio holder for Local Environment, said:

“We take our responsibilities to protect the wildlife within the Tarn’s grounds very seriously and the measures proposed aim to prevent this beautiful plant from becoming extinct. We asked advice from Plantlife, the national experts and also from the Cumbria Wildlife Trust and Natural England.  They agreed that fencing is a necessary step to take. We are keen to hear local views too and we will be explaining our plans in the coming weeks, before any work is started.”    

The Friends of Talkin Tarn and local visitors to the country park will be asked their views on the proposals. To find out more telephone 016977 3129.

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