Will de-extinction be forever? Lessons from the re-introductions of Bromus interruptus (Hack.) Druce

A brief account of the initiatives undertaken to bring about the re-introduction of the extinct in the wild British endemic grass Bromus interruptus are given. The process has seen various set-backs and failures over a c.20-year period from which lessons have been learnt. Re-introductions have been attempted at 11 locations in 8 hectads within the former range, at only four is the plant extant; in all it is specifically managed for through the reduction of competition, shallow cultivation by harrow and the augmentation of populations when necessary by re-sowing of harvested seed. The factors responsible for failures include: poor competitive ability, very limited seed dormancy, low dispersibility, palatability to grazing animals, susceptibility to herbicides and an unsuitability, both temporally and physiologically, to modern agricultural practices such as seed cleaning, deep-ploughing, intensification and crop selection. Following observation in a range of habitats and with differing levels of intervention we anticipate that the species will always be reliant on conservation actions for its continuing survival, with the resource implications that such actions demand. More broadly the initial failures illustrate the pivotal role of key individuals in the success and often failure of iconic species projects and the necessity for the provision of resourcing for monitoring over longer timescales.