Sarah Teasel has recently joined the Lincolnshire Chalk Stream Project (LCSP) as the new trainee officer apprentice, where she will be leading on a very special Species Recovery Project awarded through Natural England’s #Speciesrecoveryprogramme.
With a background in Plant Science, Sarah has previously worked for the National Trust and the Knepp Rewilding Project and is excited to be getting stuck in, building on her existing knowledge and gaining new experiences.
The Species Recovery Project is providing the LCSP with the opportunity to explore, restore and increase the life prospects of a rare species, commonly known as the Crystal Moss Animal (Lophopus crystallinus) across Greater Lincolnshire Blow Wells.
The crystal moss animal is a tiny invertebrate that filter feeds on bacteria, plankton and other microorganisms within the water, offering important ecosystem services by contributing towards keeping our drinking water sources clean from parasites and disease. They are also part of a community of organisms that play functionally important roles in nutrient cycling and energy flows up through the food web, by providing a vital food source for other animals such as snails, insects and fish.
Once a clearer picture into the current population status has been established, the LCSP aim to create favourable habitat conditions for the crystal moss animal. It is hoped to translocate existing colonies to areas of their historical range alongside new locations in early 2025, where it is hoped they will establish healthy wild populations.
You can find more information on our website speciesrecoveryprogramme - Lincolnshire Chalk Streams Project