The Victorian vogue for the indiscriminate collecting of plants for specimens pushed the stocks of some of England's rarities, particularly ferns, to the verge of extinction.

Oblong woodisa's populations in the mountainous areas of the Lake District, Durham and elsewhere in Britain were badly hit by collectors in the last century.

The plant's decline has continued, with climate change and excessive animal grazing being the most likely reasons. Research has revealed that the woodsia' wild populations are not increasing. There is no spore germination and therefore no young plants. Currently fewer than 100 plants are know of this small rock fern, scattered in eleven sites, all but one containing less than ten plants.

As part of Natural England's SRP, genetic analyses have been carried at the NHM in conjunction with RBGE to establish the extent and structure of genetic diversity and the species breeding system. Populations of woodisa have now been recreated in three sites from which the species had historically been recorded, two in Teesdale, England and one in the Moffat Hills, Scotland. This provides a perfect opportunity to monitor a translocation programme from its inception with the bonus that genetic data for all of the starting material is known.

As an alpine fern on the southern edge of its range in Britain, the woodsia needs predominantly cool conditions, so it could fall victim to climatic change if the trend towards warmer temperatures continues. However, that may suit another BAP and SRP fern much prized by the Victorians.

The Killarney fern has long been considered on of Europe's threatened plants. The few known British sites of this delicate translucent-leaved creeping fern were subject to considerable collecting pressure in the 19th century. Less than twenty sites have been recorded since it discovery in 1724, most supporting just single patches of the plant. The need for constant humidity and winter warmth has naturally restricted the plant, to shady, sheltered ravines with waterfalls.

Uniquely among European ferns this species produces a gametophyte (the small sexual phase of its life-cycle), which is perennial, capable of spreading by itself, and better suited to life in Britain than the sporophyte (ferny phase). This felty structure found in dark caves and crevices had been completely overlooked until discovered in large quantities in 1989.

There has been renewed interest in the fern, generated in part by the discovery of the gametophyte. Under the SRP, Natural England is working with the Natural History Museum, who have studied the genetic make-up of the Killarney fern in England. This investigated the reasons behind its seemingly permanent gametophyte state, and establishes if it will return to the delicate fronded plant that infatuated the Victorians. Climate change could be the major factor. Field studies combined with modern molecular methods have helped allay fears as to this species' long-term survival. While today's saporophytes are still vulnerable and must be actively protected the fern can now be considered "recovered".