Ascension : Ascension Conservation Department
Submitted by The Islander (Conservation Office) 06.08.2009 (Article Archived on 20.08.2009)

The annual island-wide plant census commenced on Monday 27th 2009, starting with a count of the Sporobolus, Asplenium and Xiphopteris growing on the south side of Green Mountain.

The annual island-wide plant census commenced on Monday 27th 2009, starting with a count of the Sporobolus, Asplenium and Xiphopteris growing on the south side of Green Mountain. This proved to be a productive day. We found two Pteris plants at a new site above Breakneck Valley, on the south-west slopes of the mountain (possibly the highest wild location known to date). We also discovered a previously unrecorded introduced species, Job’s tears (Coix lacryma-jobi), which was probably a historical relict from the days when the mountain was farmed much more extensively. Perhaps more exciting than these findings were a group of four fern seedlings on a south-western ridge of Green Mountain, high above The Pines. We have a very strong suspicion that these plants are Anogramma ascensionis, an endemic species thought to be extinct and not seen since 1958. It has been a busy week.

In addition to Monday’s finds, Phil Lambdon located a single plant of a filmy fern growing on bamboo on the very summit of the mountain. This species is very unlikely to be an introduction, we are puzzled as to how it got here, and are watching it very closely in case it should prove to be a significant find for conservation reasons (the St. Helena filmy fern is currently extremely rare).

We would love to have you join us as a volunteer.
Email:stedson.stroud@ascension.gov.ac. Ascension Island Conservation Department, Georgetown.

Farewells - Keith Leo and Phil Lambdon

Keith Leo:

Keith Leo joined the Conservation Department in December 2008, working under the South Atlantic Invasive Species (SAIS) Project. Keith made a valuable contribution to the project, and has put a huge amount of effort into dealing with invasive species on Ascension. He received an excellent report from his boss, Andrew Darlow, on St Helena, who described Keith as ‘reliable, diligent and utterly dependable throughout his contract’. He will be greatly missed by all the Conservation Team. We would like to thank him for all his hard work and wish him every success for the future. Keith leaves for the UK on Friday 7th August.

Phil Lambdon

Phil started a three month contract with the Conservation Department in May, employed as a botanist to assist with the endemic plant project. This has been Phil’s second visit to Ascension, last year he completed a plant survey of the Island for the SAIS project. Phil has put a lot of time and effort to the endemic plant work, consistently highly motivated and good humoured. It has been a privilege to work along side him and we have benefited greatly from his knowledge and expertise.