Tongue-leaf Copper-moss reintroduction update

Copper spoil with metallophyte vegetation

It's been four years since the nationally rare metallophyte Tongue-leaf Copper-moss Scopelophila cataractae was translocated from Bynea, back onto the site where the species was discovered new to Europe by the late Roy Perry. We were commissioned by the lead partner, Natural Resources Wales to provide a status update on the project.

Fresh new growth of Tongue-leaf Copper-moss

It was pleasing to discover that 47% of the treatment sites were found to support small, but healthy colonies of Tongue-leaf Copper-moss, providing reassurance that simple measures can be implemented to help safeguard this key species.  The Six Pit, Swansea Vale an White Rock SSSI was only recently notified to protect the last few remaining fragments of post-industrial copper smelting sites of the Swansea Lower Valley and the highly specialised vegetation they supports.

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