Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire: I couldn’t believe how much moss there was covering the rocks, the trees, the ground – everything
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iving in a city, I don’t have much contact with nature, but when I do, I always savour it. Most people go to the woods in search of flowers, birds, insects or fungi, but I was looking for moss. Why moss? What is so special about this irksome plant you find hidden in plain sight?
The Forest of Dean could be synonymous with moss. When I went, I was immediately struck by the amount there was. It was covering rocks, trees, the ground – everything! Everywhere was camouflaged by this blanket of green. It was like looking through emerald glasses. I ran my hand over a patch of moss; it was soft and velvety like a puppy’s fur.
There are between 15,000 and 25,000 species of bryophytes (which includes mosses, liverworts and hornworts), making it one of the most diverse plant groups in the world. There are so many amazing things about moss, like how it can survive in extreme conditions – dormant moss has been known to survive temperatures from -272C to 100C, and the spores can be in space for months without dying. Moss has been around for 450m years, enduring drastic climate changes. Mosses also hold moisture, help the soil to prevent erosion, and absorb pollution from the air.
