ORGANISERS of a new national survey are looking for volunteers in Bradford to make plants a priority.

The new National Plant Monitoring Scheme (NPMS) needs public help for when it starts this spring.

Scientists will be taking stock of the UK’s wild plants and their habitats but are looking for volunteers to carry out surveys as evidence of which widespread plants are increasing or declining, as well as indicating the changing state of valued habitats such as grassland, fenland and even road verges.

Chris Cheffings, of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, said: "Information on plant species’ abundance and change is very limited, and it is difficult to gauge the condition of habitats outside protected sites. The annual results collected by volunteers will help to identify trends in hundreds of species, allowing us to assess plant community changes."

The search is now on to find 2,000 volunteers countrywide.To find out more go to npms.org.uk