Banknotes should depict flora and fungi, not just animals | Plants

Your article on the Bank of England’s plans to include nature on future bank notes (“A toad is worth ten”: Experts recommend wild candidates for new notes, March 21) highlights how deeply the natural world shapes our national identity. Yet it is striking that among the wild candidates suggested for grades, one of the most fundamental elements of nature has been overlooked.

If this exercise is truly about “representing the oppressed,” then plants and mushrooms are the most obvious omission. They are the basis of all life but continue to be pushed aside – a reminder of how easily we ignore the very foundations of the natural world.

Our native flora and fungi make up the essential fabric of our ecosystems: they shape landscapes, support animals, birds and insects, and support the health of our environment. As the Bank of England begins its consultation, it has a real opportunity to put these vital species in the spotlight. Celebrating plants and fungi on our banknotes would not only recognize their immense value, but also inspire a greater public appreciation for the living systems that support us all.
Nicholas Hutchinson
Managing Director, Plantlife International