MARCH 21, 2008: The Ramblers’ Association is organising a series of special spring and summer walks through woodland andcountryside across the UK as part of conservationefforts for the native British bluebell.
The RA’s ‘Blue-tiful’ bluebell walks are being organised in more than 100 locations between April and June in conjunction with wild plants conservation charity Plantlife and the Natural History Museum.The free walks are all expert-led and range from five to 14 miles-long, with each one containing stretches of bluebells. Participating walkers will be encouraged to help look out for bluebells and enter their sightings onto a National Museum online survey when they return home.The native British bluebell is considered to be under threat from hybridisation with introduced Spanish ones. Experts will use this crucial data to build a map of nationwide hybridisation patterns, to help reverse hybridisation trends in the future, said the Ramblers’ Association.* Details of the bluebell walks can be found on www.ramblers.org.uk/bluebells
