Handling and Searching for Plants

When looking for plants to identify or photograph there are a few important, but simple, safety precautions to take.

Some plants, if touched or handled incorrectly, can cause physical injury, irritation and poisoning. If you are venturing into undergrowth it is important that you wear suitable clothing and PPE to protect your skin.

Prickles, such as stinging nettles can be particularly irritating and can cause inflammation of an area of skin exposed to the nettle.

Thorns, such as roses, hawthorn, blackthorn or pyracantha can penetrate the skin fairly easily, so be careful if working around these types of plant. Wear protective gloves if handling them.

Beware of plants which can be poisonous, especially if any berries or fruit - so basically, it's sensible not to eat any wild berries or fruit unless you are certain it is safe to do so. Fungi are notorious for causing stomach cramps, or worse, so even if you think you have correctly identified the fungal mushroom it is still sensible not to eat any of it, just take a photograph of it.

Irritants, such as giant hogweed, can cause serious skin reactions. Avoid coming into contact with these types of plant. If you are handling plants and you know you are sensitive to some species then avoid handling them; if you have to handle them, make sure you have adequate protection, especially by wearing suitable gloves.

Beware of disturbing insects which may be collecting nectar from inside of flowers. Bumble bees are fairly timid creatures, but if you stick your fingers into flowers that they may be inside, for example, a foxglove, then they may not take kindly to your act of aggression. You have been warned.

When searching for plants ensure you have a good awareness of your surrounding: You may be bending down to take photographs of low growing plant or stretching with a camera at arm's length to get a picture of a feature within a tree. Changing position quickly may result in you standing up from a low position and hitting your head on a low branch or slipping and losing your balance. Assess the area you will be looking over to alert you to potential hazards and the risks involved.

Be careful with your footing, making sure that you are stable body position when identifying, taking photographs or sketching plants.

Another important point to consider is that of not picking or uprooting plants which do not belong to you. Photographs can capture the required identification features quite adequately and try not to disturb the area around the plant as this can be home to small creatures.

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, including its numerous amendments, includes the prohibition of certain methods of killing or taking wild animals and restricts the introduction of certain animals and plants. Section 13 of the Act deals with the protection of certain wild plants, whilst Schedule 8 identifies plants which are protected.