thematic-excursion Mountain everlasting - Life HARWIN

At the end of May, Life HARWIN set out to share knowledge about the reintroduction of plant species, population restoration, and the management of nutrient-poor grasslands, particularly focusing on the Mountain Everlasting (Antennaria dioica). As part of the HARWIN project, we visited locations where Science4Nature has been working since 2014 to restore the Mountain everlasting in the province of Drenthe. For the reintroduction of this species, an ex situ cultivation program has been established for all remaining populations to secure them for the future. This cultivation allows for the production of large quantities of genetically diverse seeds for reintroduction. 

Four years after the reintroduction at the end of 2020, we were pleasantly surprised to find not only ripe seeds but also seedlings in the sowing plots. The first regeneration after the reintroduction of Mountain Everlasting in existing nutrient-poor grassland is a fact! We will soon continue monitoring the population development so that we can gain insights into survival strategies and share this knowledge within projects like HARWIN. The ultimate goal is to give this colorful flora a helping hand to preserve them for themselves and for the ecosystem, with the pleasant side effect that we can continue to enjoy these beautiful plant species (Sheila Luijten en Dennis De Ryck).