Plant Identification and Adder’s Tongue Survey
 Adder's Tongue |
In 1979, a rare plant was discovered on Walthamstow Marshes. The discovery of the fern adder’s tongue, helped save the area from being turned into gravel pits and developed for recreation.
On 02 May 2004, the Lea Bridge Conservation Volunteers were keen to see if it was still present and whether the re-introduction of cattle grazing had helped it to grow. Volunteers scoured the ground beneath their feet, for signs of the diminutive and unusual fern, as they made their way inchmeal across the survey site. The fern was found to be growing quite densely in various areas and the results were presented to the Lee Valley Park Rangers for collation. The general conclusion was that the impact of the first year’s cattle grazing had helped the adder’s tongue fern to thrive. The marsh is considered to be one of the best places in the country, to see this unusual plant. |
 |
Left to Right: |
Before the survey took place, volunteers were shown how to identify the names of various plants growing on the site. Examples of plants growing in abundance there were cow parsley and graceful sedge.
Although this was a new activity for volunteers to participate in, it proved to be worthwhile. Volunteers were not only introduced to the art of surveying. They were able to provide valuable information to the rangers on the effect of cattle grazing on the adder’s tongue fern and learnt how to identify plants growing on the marsh.