Kevin said people often suffered from “plant blindness” where the benefits to the environment, and society itself, are overlooked.
“When plant species are lost, ecosystems become less resilient to pressures such as climate change, disease and extreme weather,” he added.
“This can trigger knock-on effects, for example, insects that rely on specific plants may decline or disappear too.
“Changes like this can affect people. Floral diversity supports pollinators and fewer pollinators can reduce crop yields, impacting food production and local economies.
“Plant diversity also helps maintain soil health, which is vital for farmland, flood mitigation and communities.”