Azernews.Az

by Alimat Aliyeva

Wildflower meadows are among the most diverse natural habitats and have long been deeply rooted in ancient folklore, traditional medicine, and cultural symbolism, AzerNEWS reports, citing foreign media.

However, conservation organisations report that the United Kingdom has lost around 97% of its wildflower meadows over the past century. In addition, just over half of the country’s native plant species have been in long-term decline since records began in the 1950s.

The pressures are not limited to land development. Native species are also increasingly affected by invasive plants, agricultural intensification, and a rapidly changing climate, all of which disrupt delicate ecological balances.

Wildflower meadows don’t just support plants—they are also critical for pollinators. In fact, a single healthy meadow can host hundreds of species of bees, butterflies, and other insects, making them essential for food production and biodiversity recovery. As a result, there are now growing rewilding and restoration projects across the UK aimed at bringing these habitats back, often by reintroducing traditional grazing and low-intensity land management techniques.