Auditing the arable flora - problems and some possible solutions

Many arable plant species have become extremely rare in Britain during the second half of the 20th century, and their conservation has become a priority. One obstacle to the effective implementation of conservation programmes is an inadequate knowledge of species status and distribution, and of sites of conservation importance. There are many problems inherent in the survey of arable plants, and several methods have been tested. A suitable method for large-scale survey will probably involve collation of existing information and targeting of survey effort. Systematic survey may only be possible with the help of volunteer labour.