🔦 It’s #SaturdaySpotlight time! The 𝐒𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐚 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭, 𝐾𝑢𝑟𝑧𝑖𝑎 𝑛𝑒𝑚𝑜𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑠 is an endemic liverwort species found in abundance in our cloud forest often forming massive hummocks on sloping terrain or covering tree bark in smaller amounts 🌳🌿 #SHCFP

#DYK cloud forest mist capture supplies over 1/2 of our #drought prone island’s fresh water💧 On #DRRday we applaud the work of our 🇬🇧funded #SHCFP teams who aim to safeguard St Helena's water security & increase supply by up to 20% for better #ClimateResilience🌡️

🧵1/3 ⏪ Way back when, flax covered over 3,000 acres of land on St Helena and the industry directly employed 300 to 400 people – just check out this #throwback to workers drying out flax in the early 1900s!

🧵2/3 However, New Zealand flax (Phormiun tenax) had a devastating impact on the Island’s lush native #endemic cloud forest 🌳 and remains an incredibly #invasive species to this day!

🧵3/3 𝐵𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑠 ℎ𝑜𝑝𝑒 - our UK-Funded 𝐒𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐚 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 aims to reclaim areas dominated by flax and other invasives, returning them to their former glory as endemic-rich cloud forest habitat💚 #SHCFP #CloudForestRestoration

🔦 Time to shine the #Spotlight on St Helena’s great 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐬 𝐏𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐬, 𝐹𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑢𝑟𝑢𝑠, a species #endemic to our cloud forest, often growing as thin light green to yellowish unbranching stems on vertical soil banks 🌿 #SHCFP

Happy #StatsDay! Its estimated that 1000mm of the 2024 average mist captured in the PNP was available for recharge💧 This means mist contributed 𝟓𝟖% 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞 in 2024 in land above 690m, evidencing the importance of the cloud forest for water supply! #SHCFP

We're pleased to be receiving financial support from @UKBCFs to Sept 2028, supporting our @FCDOGovUK funded work to safeguard our cloud forest🌳 Project Manager Shayla Ellick spoke to @BBCRadio4 about the importance of the cloud forest: https://t.co/q48910oahD (from 38.44) #SHCFP

🧵1/3 For today's dose of #WednesdayWisdom, we introduce you to Vicky Wilkins, a valued partner of the St Helena Cloud Forest Project from The Species Recovery Trust @speciesrecovery 🤝 Check the thread to learn about how the SRT is supporting our work under the #SHCFP 👇

🧵2/3 "A Global Biodiversity Treasure Tove" 💎 SRT has been supporting work to safeguard St Helena's cloud forest, one of the worlds rarest and most invertebrate-rich ecosystems, home to over 250 #endemic invert species, including the Spiky Yellow Woodlouse and Golden Sail Spider

🧵3/3 The team have supported @SHnationaltrust with annual surveys, methodology & reporting, recovery plans, species-focused restoration techniques, red listing of over 100 inverts, DNA sequencing of endemics, and invasive control to halt extinctions and restore native habitat 💪

🔦 It’s #Spotlight time! The 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭, 𝐶ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑐𝑦𝑝ℎ𝑢𝑠 ℎ𝑢𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑠, is a delicate, pale leafy #endemic liverwort, often seen growing with other small bryophytes in moist places (tree trunks, dead logs, leaf litter etc.) 🌿#SHCFP

🧵5. Big thanks @FCDOGovUK for funding the workshop. Also a shout out to Sure SA for sponsoring the flawless broadband connection, allowing off-island partners, researchers and others to participate in important discussions! 🤝 #SHCFP #ManagementPlan #Review

𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬! In addition to @FCDOGovUK funding for 25/26, the #SHCFP has secured further financial backing from the Darwin Initiative @UKBCFs for 1 Oct 25 - 30 Sept 28! THANK YOU both, 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞𝐬 💪 @GO_ASHT

Last photos of Dequan’s #DPLUS215 training at Kew: harvesting and photographing seedlings in the Quarantine House and an excellent morning of tree climbing @UKBCFs @BVIGovernment

How about some #ThursdayThoughts? 🎞️💬Today, Denzel George from the Peaks Team talks about the challenges of habitat restoration work under the UK-funded St Helena Cloud Forest Project and his love for caring for the Island’s #endemic plant species every day! 🌱🇸🇭💚#SHCFP

Day 11: More DNA work this morning, followed by sowing Replicate 3 Great Tobago soil samples. Exciting to see germination from MSB tests Dequan set up last week! #DPLUS215 @UKBCFs @BVIGovernment

Day 10: Dequan booting up for a morning with the Kew Tree Gang, learning the ropes with climbing and safety with the chainsaw, on #DPLUS215 training @UKBCFs @BVIGovernment

Day 9: Exciting to do some filming in the Quarantine House at Kew of emerging seedlings today with Dequan from NPTVI for our #DPLUS215 project @UKBCFs @BVIGovernment

Day 8: Dequan getting to grips with molecular work for #DPLUS215 this morning and this afternoon identifying specimens from BVI @UKBCFs @BVIGovernment