In search of seaweed

The plant conservation charity Plantlife is calling on outdoor enthusiasts to help hunt for Wig Wrack – a rare, golden seaweed found only in Scotland.

The extent of this important plant was last fully surveyed 70 years ago in the mid 1940s. The number of known sites has increased since then but, because Wig Wrack favours remote locations, there are likely to be more sites that have not yet been identified – and these are the ones Plantlife’s experts want you to go out and discover. According to the charity:

• Wig Wrack is found in sheltered sea lochs where freshwater streams run over the shore.

•It is the UK’s only unattached seaweed and creates important shelter for shore-living creatures, such as shore crabs, Littorina snails and young Common eels, which otherwise would have little shelter from predators, especially at low tide.

•In the right conditions, Wig Wrack can form dense beds, covering anything from a few square metres to whole shores with a free-floating mat, rather like a giant natural toupee.

“The rarity and fragility of Wig Wrack’s remaining sites in Scotland are why it has been prioritised for conservation action,” explains Plantlife Scotland’s Dr Deborah Long. “Scotland has most of the world’s population of this unique seaweed but it is vulnerable to pollution and building development. The good news is that Wig Wrack is easy to identify and we really hope that outdoor enthusiasts join us in taking part – the results from this survey will play a key role in helping to protect Wig Wrack in the future.”

For a detailed survey form or free Wig Wrack Management Guide, visit the Plantlife website at www.plantlife.org.uk or write to Wig Wrack Survey, Plantlife Scotland, Balallan House, Allan Park, Stirling FK8 2QG. You can also email scotland@plantlife.org.uk or phone 01786 479382.