Blossoming among spoil heaps: how 1,000 years of lead mining gave birth to banks of pansies and pennycress
Calaminarian grasslands in Northumberland are rare habitats where metallophyte plants thrive in heavy metal-contaminated soils. These unique ecosystems have emerged as a result of over 1,000 years of lead mining. There is an ongoing debate about whether to protect these human-made meadows or allow them to naturally fade away.
- ▪Calaminarian grasslands are home to specialist plants that can tolerate toxic soils.
- ▪About 30% of Europe's calaminarian grasslands are located in the UK, covering only 450 hectares.
- ▪These plants help cleanse contaminated soils through a process called phytoremediation.
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A mountain pansy at Briarwood Banks, one of the increasingly rare calaminarian grasslands in Northumberland. These ‘metallophyte’ plants have adapted to live in polluted soils. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The GuardianView image in fullscreenA mountain pansy at Briarwood Banks, one of the increasingly rare calaminarian grasslands in Northumberland. These ‘metallophyte’ plants have adapted to live in polluted soils. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The GuardianThe aftermathEndangered habitatsBlossoming among spoil heaps: how 1,000 years of lead mining gave birth to banks of pansies and pennycressCalaminarian grassland is a rare habitat where plants thrive in soils contaminated by heavy metals.
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