Phew! Has this tree charity saved the UK's native 'gin plant', Juniper, from extinction?

You may not have been aware that juniper trees, the rare conifer bush whose berries form the basis of that most delicious of tipples - gin - is at risk of going extinct in the UK.

In fact, Juniper is listed as one of Britain’s most threatened trees and is on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red list, which identifies endangered species.

However, reports from nature charity Plantlife this week suggest that their pioneering mission to save the gin plant from dying out in the UK might have turned a corner in helping rescue it from this dire fate. Hurrah!

Despite being one of the first trees to spread across Britain following the last Ice Age, juniper has been in steady decline over the last few decades, according to Plantlife.

Many southern counties of England have seen massive losses of up to 70 per cent and in some counties, the plant which forms the basis of all gin has been completely lost, mostly due to heavy grazing by livestock and small animals.

In an effort to save the ‘gin plant’, ten years ago Plantlife began planting at thirteen special juniper nursery sites across the UK.

Thanks to their hard work, juniper berries are young shrubs are now thriving and have steadily increased in numbers in areas including Sussex, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire!

The revival of Juniper’s fortunes is not just good news for gin lovers, as Plantlife’s botanical expert, Dr Trevor Dines, explains: “Saving juniper is also very good news for other wildlife. In just a few years, a scrape can become home to wildflowers including orchids, kidney vetch, horseshoe vetch, fairy flax, salad burnet, oxeye daisies, and cowslips. Over 50 insects have been recorded on juniper, including unique, rare species.”

“Juniper is one of our most charismatic species, steeped in history, myth and folklore. We’re passionate about doing all we can to help reverse the fortunes of this much beloved species so it’s really exciting to see so many seedlings growing well.

“We hope that through continued monitoring we can learn even more about juniper, creating the perfect recipe for success and a revival of ‘gin’ across southern England.”

That’s music to our ears, here at Craft Gin Club - let’s raise a toast to the work of this wonderful charity and the continued success of their replanting project! Cheers!

Find out more about this project and how you can help support the work of Plantlife here.