Rare flowers torn down to make way for RAF planes

18th June 2020

A botanical specialist was ‘outraged’ to discover MOD contractors had mown down rare orchids growing on the edge of RAF Woodvale.

Posting on Facebook, Josh Styles wrote: “I’m currently working as an ecologist and botanical specialist and decided to visit Freshfield Dune Heath reserve today.

“Bordering the reserve on the edge of Woodvale airfield I noticed hundreds of Pyramidal Orchids (Anacamptis pyramidalis), a very rare species in the region away from the coast. The whole area was buzzing with invertebrates and other scarce wild plants too. Less than two minutes later, this happened – all mown down for absolutely no reason.

“I stopped the contractor who told me, and I quote, ‘they just don’t want anything living here, mate’.