Closing out the year, our featured species of the month for November and December is green shield moss (Buxbaumia viridis).

Green shield moss is a small and elusive species that serves as an indicator of old-growth and natural forest habitats.

It is one of the few moss species protected at the European level and is listed under the Bern Convention and the EU Habitats Directive. In Latvia, the species is strictly protected, and micro-reserves may be established to safeguard its habitats. Forests where the species occurs must be preserved, along with its suitable substrate – dead conifer wood. Continued monitoring is needed to study long-term population trends.

Learn more about the species in the fact sheet. A PDF version is available here.

The species is threatened by logging in suitable forests and by the removal of dead wood. Drainage and land improvement near known sites can also negatively affect the moss by altering the forest microclimate. In Latvia, green shield moss is assessed as Vulnerable (VU) due to its very small population, while at the European scale it is considered Least Concern (LC).