Here is an interesting article from over the weekend, a rare plant being saved by walkers trampling through the muddy Anglesey countryside.
The tiny three-lobbed water-crowfoot has seen a doubling in its numbers over the last 10 years thanks to walkers disturbing the ground around it which aides it in two ways. First of all, this little plant loves to grow in open muddy ditches, trenches, shallow pools and even puddles and since there are no animals wandering the paths in the area its down to the walkers to continue to make these disturbances in the earth. The second key aid walkers give is that since these flowers love shallow muddy areas they need to mature quickly or risk being dried out in the summer. Once matured in spring the three-lobbed water-crowfoot sheds its seeds into the soil which are then trampled into the ground and carried away on the boots of passing walkers.
A very clever little plant!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-17805118
