▁long ifolia ▁is ▁common ▁in ▁some ▁parts ▁of ▁its ▁European ▁range , ▁such ▁as ▁southern ▁France ▁and ▁Spain , ▁but ▁end anger ed ▁particularly ▁in ▁northern ▁areas ▁such ▁as ▁Belg ium . ▁In ▁Britain ▁and ▁Ireland ▁it ▁is ▁a ▁quite ▁un common ▁and ▁decl ining ▁species , ▁and ▁conservation ▁work ▁is ▁being ▁carried ▁out ▁at ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁sites ▁to ▁saf egu ard ▁it ▁( see ▁also ▁Gal ley ▁Down ▁Wood ). ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁it ▁was ▁listed ▁as ▁a ▁priority ▁species ▁under ▁the ▁UK ▁B iod iversity ▁Action ▁Plan . ▁The ▁char ity ▁Plant life ▁International ▁is ▁leading ▁this ▁work ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom . ▁ ▁Hab itat ▁ ▁S word - le aved ▁H elle bor ine ▁usually ▁grows ▁in ▁d amp ▁wood land ▁places ▁( main ly ▁o ak ▁and ▁be ech ), ▁forest ▁edges ▁and ▁rock y ▁s lop es . ▁These ▁plants ▁prefer ▁cal care ous ▁so ils ▁and ▁in ▁well ▁exposed ▁places , ▁at ▁an ▁alt itude ▁of ▁ ▁above ▁sea ▁level . ▁ ▁This ▁species ▁was ▁once ▁abund ant , ▁when ▁for ests ▁were ▁used ▁for ▁gra zing ▁liv est ock ▁and ▁trees ▁were ▁co pp iced , ▁but ▁is ▁now ▁threatened ▁by ▁over g row th ▁of ▁larger ▁plants . ▁As ▁the ▁flower ▁sp ikes ▁are ▁e aten ▁by ▁de er , ▁the ▁sword - le aved ▁hel le bor ine ▁is ▁also ▁threatened ▁by ▁the ▁increase ▁of ▁de er ▁populations ▁following ▁ext ir p ation ▁of ▁large ▁pred ators ▁like ▁w