About the event

The Silver‐studded blue butterfly (Plebejus argus) is a species of conservation priority in the UK due to severe declines over the past 100 years through loss of habitat extent and quality. Prees Heath Common in Shropshire has supported the last population of the butterfly in the Midlands and the North of England on very small areas of relict heathland. Butterfly Conservation purchased half of the Common in 2006 to safeguard the relict population and to undertake re‐creation of former lowland heathland on areas of arable land and thus attempt to ensure the long-term persistence of the butterfly population. This is the story of how heathland creation was achieved and consequences for the butterfly over the past 19 years.