Lowland

MOSSLANDS

Lowland raised in the UK has fallen by 94% from

95,000 ha to 6,000 ha, and is now internationally threatened

Ecology Habitat Action Plan 2008

term - raised bog. Being elevated above the Greater ’s lowland mosslands, surrounding groundwater, raised are (also known as lowland raised bog), began to fed purely from rainfall and this helps to form c10, 000 years ago. It dates back to the maintain nutrient poor conditions within the last ice age when began to be laid down bog system. The Sphagnum mosses also on marine, estuarine or fluvial deposits increase the acidity of the water. As a result, adjacent to estuaries, on river floodplains, or the characteristic vegetation found on on the site of shallow glacial lakes. These mosslands is adapted to nutrient-poor, acidic wet, waterlogged areas were originally conditions and plant species are therefore colonised by reeds and rushes. Due to the highly specialised in their requirements and waterlogged anaerobic conditions, dead plant many of these species can be found no- material could not be fully broken down and where else. began to build up on the bottom of water bodies and this led to the formation of fen Mosslands can also support characteristic peat. Bog mosses (Sphagnum mosses) assemblages of uncommon invertebrates, began to colonise. At this point, the including the large heath butterfly, once sphagnum content of the underlying peat known as the Manchester Argus, but now increased and the peat changed from fen to extinct in the County. Mossland habitat is bog peat. As the peat accumulated, the capable of supporting a range of important surface of the bog was elevated above the bird species, such as curlew. Recent survey surrounding land, forming a dome, hence the Lowland Mosslands

evidence has shown that the ditches in uncultivated examples that have the potential mossland habitats provide important to be restored (whether they are vegetated or breeding areas for Water Vole. not) are to be considered as important and a key part of the regions critical environmental Peat cutting or drainage has modified the capital. majority of Britain’s raised bog and much has been converted to agriculture. There are no The aim of restoration is to meet the intact raised mosslands left within Greater condition of favourable habitat. The best Manchester, with the majority of them having examples of lowland raised bog habitat can been drained and fertilised to create farmland be defined using the following criteria: and some being worked for peat. ♦ Characteristic bog-moss species, notably Habitat Action Plan 2008 Sphagnum papillosum and Sphagnum magellanicum, are abundant and cover at least 25% of the surface.

♦ Sites where the hydrology of the mossland is maintained at an appropriate level for the growth of mossland vegetation.

♦ Any site which supports one or more of Typical regenerated cut over mossland the following species – even where the habitat quality appears poor: Priority habitat description

Round leaved Sundew Drosera rotundifolia L. The mossland within has Cross-leaved heath Erica tetralix been significantly altered and all the remnant Bog myrtle Myrica Gale sites are cutover examples of the habitat. Bog asphodel Narthecium ossifragum The Manchester mosslands either support Bog Rosemary Andromeda polifolia secondary semi-natural vegetation or are Cranberry Vaccinium oxycoccus currently bare peat sites as a result of current extraction. Due to the rate of loss of the ♦ Bog pools occur on the open bog surface habitat and its increased rarity, all

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Habitat Action Plan 2008 Lowland Mosslands

Cross-leaved heath Erica tetralix Current status and distribution Common butterwort Pinguicula vulgaris Cranberry Vaccinium oxycoccus Lowland raised bog is on Annex 1 of the EC Bog rosemary Andromeda polifolia Habitats and Species Directive and is listed Bog myrtle Myrica gale in the UK BAP as a priority habitat. Bladderworts Urtricularia spp. Mossland habitat is now internationally Round-leaved sundew Drosera rotundifolia threatened. Mosslands once covered large Bog asphodel Narthecium ossifragum areas of our region, but as elsewhere across Bog bean Menyanthes trifoliate Europe there has been a dramatic loss in the

area of this habitat. Since c.1850, the area of Bogs that are drying out, or those where lowland raised bog in the UK has fallen by the surface has been cut over, support 94% from 95,000 ha to 6,000 ha. large areas of: Habitat Action Plan 2008

In over the same period, there has Purple moor-grass Molinia caerulea been a massive 98.6% reduction of our Heather Calluna vulgaris mossland heritage, with only 500ha now Bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus Crowberry Empetrum nigrum remaining. The North West of England once Downy birch Betula pubescens supported a large proportion of England’s lowland raised bog resource, yet even here there has been substantial losses with 99% Table 3: Animal species associated with of the mossland habitat within Lancashire, lowland raised bog in Greater Manchester Greater Manchester and North Merseyside

having been destroyed. The remaining Birds fragments are in all cases damaged, and

there are less than 100ha of wet mossland Curlew Numenius arquata Snipe Galinago galinago left.

Invertebrates Within Greater Manchester, the areas of , , Ashton Moss and Common hawker dragonfly Aeshna juncea Clifton Moss originally supported huge Ruddy darter dragonfly Sympetrum expanses of mossland habitat. Many of sanguineum these areas have been lost to agricultural Black darter dragonfly Sympetrum improvement, peat extraction or danae development.

of SpecialS Moss inBoltonandHighfieldareSites Special Are part ofthelargerMa Astley and being prote currently underexcavationwithonlyafew in size.Manyofthe many ofthe Manchester supporting recorded only14sit conservation priority. restoration degraded examplesconsideredca In viewoftherarityintact Importance. Bothactive anddegraded still Habitats Directive),con 92/43/EEC of21May1992(European A recentsurvey

Distributi capable on of within30 a c Bedford Mossare c ofrestorati sitesbein ofConser ientific Interest(SSSI). ted byst mossla Lowland Mosslands

of nds COU mossland ha yearsareofhigh g vation (SAC)andRed s deeppeat atutory designations. in Greater onlyafewhectares nchester Mosslands larger remn on areof iders thatr e s withinGreater NCIL prot Manch DIRECTI a European deposits ected, as habitat, bitat has pable of ants are ised bog e ster V E

archive ofthepasttenmillennia. an archae peat, mosslandshave years ago. mossland habitatbegantoformc10,000 archaeological point important frombothahistor Mosslands arealsoconsidere priority habitatsforconservation. examples a soak upwat appropriately, andreducingfloodr beneficial beneficial effectongloba “Intact mosslandhabitathasa output of German than thef peat. The warming b habitat tohaveabene Recent researchhassh within thepeat”(Worrall2008) warming byloc ( locked-up a going process,which being ablet mossland habitathasanadditional Wo rrall 20 y, equivalentto af

y o UK’s peatla CO 08 nd ‘sin o ological a e Due tothe fect lockingu r rests of sequester e thereforeconsider r duringhe ). 2 on waterqualityif ( Mosslands also Worral ks’ morecarbon t ofview.British k nd storemo an immensevalueas preservative he UK,Franceand nd palaeo keepst 35yearsof p ficial effe l 2008 avy periodsofrainfall carbon, this ing upcarbon own intactmossland carbonwithinthe ) . Fu ct h i havea d sk asthey ed tobe e carbon each year ecologica qualityof ical and re carbon on global benefit of managed tobe totalUK nctioning is anon- l l

Habitat Action Plan 2008 Lowland Mosslands

and gradually releases it over a period of The peat surface left by milling does not time. allow any bog species to survive on areas exploited for peat extraction. Factors affecting the habitat ♦ Surface water drainage and groundwater The primary factors affecting lowland raised abstraction causing lower water levels bogs in Greater Manchester are: The presence of land drains on adjacent farmland serves to maintain artificially low ♦ Development, including peat, sand and water tables next to the mossland sites. gravel extraction. Water abstraction within the Chat Moss Three large peat extraction sites are area may also affect and further reduce currently in operation within Greater water levels. Both factors can have an Habitat Action Plan 2008 Manchester. These are at Chat Moss, adverse effect on the hydrological Little Woolden Moss and Astley Moss gradient between mossland habitat and East. Planning conditions imposed on adjacent lands. This reduces the ability the extraction site at Twelve Yards Road, of mossland habitat to maintain sufficient required that 2 metres of peat will be water levels, increases drying out and retained on site and that peat extraction leads to an incremental loss of habitat would cease in 2010. After use includes through oxidation of the peat and natural conservation. succession to heathland and scrub woodland. A new proposal to extend the peat extraction for another 25 years and to take the peat down to 1 meter is currently being submitted. Parts of Astley Moss East will be lost to peat, sand and gravel extraction. The remainder of the site is to be re-wetted and restored to mossland habitat. The Little Woolden Moss Attempts to counteract this and raise application is to convert the land to water levels on the mossland sites can be agricultural use, with a loss of the whole met with opposition from landowners and peatland habitat. farmers on adjacent land because of

♦ developmen drying out large areasofscrub, however co lack ofa present. S afforestation Locally, th bog specie drying outandthelossofcharacteristic managemen private own managemen fragments arenot Many of lack ofman Afforestatio blow anderosion. becomes oxidiseditisvulnerableto oxidation of machinery farming thelandanduseofheavy peat deposit fragmented mosslandhabitatstillretain agricultural landssurrou the conversiontoagricu has largely In thepast, drainage oft perceived potentialeffectsonthe there s. n, scrubencroachmentand agement processandallowsthe e mmonplace. been cause thelossof c ere is has ledtocompactionand Lowland Mosslands ppropriate managementis t ofwet the peatso onmosslandhabita heir ownland. s. Howeve t. Theresourceisoft t regimeresultsinth rship andalackofsuitable rub encroa maining mossland little pressure

incon woodland. Ifthis d ils. Oncethe mossland Thepresenceo l exacerbatethe c ture. Manyofthe nding the bydrainageand r, theprocessof hment duetoa s ervation current habitat e en in wind for peat site t at f

♦

high levelsofnitrogenencouragethe the constr the disappe extraction andagricultu past exploitationof mosslands ofGreater acidic cond Bog vegetationrequires enrichment pollution, Water quality–wat unsuitable f becomes dryandoxi process is effect on recorded. Bisulphites ammonia andnitrogen by rainfall,andhighlevelsofsulphur, be underest reduced wa effect, altho Air pollution mosslands t and industri and fertiliser from adjacentland.Po nutrient rich escape the drains. Th drainage dit pesticid some

o bogsyste allowed to uction of arance ofth a itions to o ter levelsa ugh itseffe is noton mayalsohaveanad watersto runofffrombothagricul i c r restoratio mated. Mosslandsar l landreducestheviabilityof berestore hes andshallowerin Sphagnu flou e numerousdeep andnutrient ly allowswa m continue, have aninh peatland n purposes. e peatdomesand re hasresultedin nd maytherefore e d cts aresimilarto d llution, pest enter theh arest nutrient poo butalsoallows rish. Manchester, the r pollutio . ises, be m Mossesand Withinthe

ill th coming s for e peat n

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Habitat Action Plan 2008 Lowland Mosslands

spread of competitors such as purple habitats available. This increases the moor grass. (JNCC) chance of local extinctions and the eventual loss of species from the region. ♦ Habitat isolation as a result of

fragmentation of existing areas. Historically, a range of different habitat The last fragments of mossland habitat types radiating out from the central core are becoming increasingly isolated and mossland area would have provided smaller. The remnant mosslands exist as complimentary habitat. Such habitats stand alone islands, which would have included lag fen, marsh, open characteristically stand higher than the water, reedbeds and wet woodland. surrounding land due to compaction of These associated habitats would have the peat deposits. The isolation of the helped to maintain the wetness of the Habitat Action Plan 2008 mossland from the surrounding mossland and would have provided a landscape leads to a deterioration in protective buffer from adjacent land uses. habitat quality. The increased These buffer habitats have in most cases hydrological gradient reduces the ability now been lost, either to development are of the mossland habitat to retain sufficient intensively drained agricultural lands. water levels. ♦ A lack of appropriate characteristic species The cutover nature of Manchester’s mossland habitat has resulted in a reduction in the number of species available for colonisation of restored sites. A number of species such as the hummock forming Sphagna are necessary to obtain a sustainable and growing mossland habitat. The hummock formers such as S. papillosum, S. Twelve Yards Road (GMEU) capillifolium and S. magellanicum tend to

be in short supply within the region as a The characteristic species, which depend whole. Due to the mosses ability to retain on mosslands, have themselves also water, mosslands supporting a greater become isolated and there are fewer

♦ ♦ difficult exploited. Thishasresulted initbeing wasteland, areaseithertobea seem alwaystohaveb interest inmosslandhabitat.Mos lack ofund perception. undervalued andsuffer region’s h Despite mosslandbein Poor public too highveryquickly. the habitataswaterlevelsma pours ofrainmayalsoadverselyaffect Conversely thetrend the sites the system. dependant onsummer levels att are toca level. Currentoptionsf vegetation areatorjustabove water levelsforthe too drynorshoulditbe of parameters.Thegro vegetation growsbestunderacertainset patterns iscauseforso the predictionforunpredictablew The trendforhotterdriersummersand Global warming maintain optimalwaterlevels. coverage of to pt he desired may well raisep ure rainfall perception e Ifthesed Lowland Mosslands erstanding, Historically, ritage, theyareh Sphagna ublic opinionto forheavydown height. g growthofbog become toodry. are betterab toowet.Optimal und should o me concern.Bog rains replenishing and maintainthe avitalpartofour o appreciation een regarde there hasb from poorp r re-wettingsites notoccurthen y b v oided or This is ground e s eather not be een a come ugely land and d as ublic le to s

♦ Both BoltonandWigan haveproduced of themo Priority Habitats,within Document f has producedaSupplementaryPlanning Authorities. Aspartof taking pla Local DevelopmentFra resource. Thereplace with specificpolicie and ’sUnitaryDevelopme been recog 1. Polic Current actions

The imp species it green space.Mosslan promoted asareas This maychangeifm ownership andaccesst Much ofthehabitat on themosslandsofGreaterManchester. There islitt Recreational pressures interest islo also been resource. safeguard andprotectourmos measures. disturbance y

o ssland resourceishighlighted. n c o rtance of ized withinBolton’s, e acrossLocalPlanning r Biodiversity,specificallyUK restricted, andwillrequireprotective l w. e currentre supports ar Funding opportunitie s pro

mossland h m

which theimportance this process, t m ent ofUDP’sbythe ecting the ework is of valuableopen

ascommunity d habitata o creation pre o isinp e vulnerableto sslands canbe sitesislimited. Salford’s abitat has n mossland t Plans, currently s nd the

r ssure s have ivate lan d

Habitat Action Plan 2008 Lowland Mosslands

mossland habitat action plans within their Site Safeguard own local BAP’s. The BAP process is 1. The recent revision of the Site of supported with all 3 UDP’s. Biological Importance – selection guidelines has allowed the opportunity to strengthen the 2. All planning applications that may have an protection of remnant mossland habitat by adverse effect on mossland habitat and including areas of lowland mossland on peat hydrology are now assessed fully. The over 0.5m deep, which supports semi-natural approval to grant peat, sand and gravel vegetation on unmodified mossland soils as extraction at Astley Moss East, although potential SBI’s. Astley and Bedford Mosses resulting in a loss of 1/3 of the site, has been is part of the Manchester Mossland Special used to bring into conservation management Area of Conservation (SAC) receiving both a large part of the site plus additional British and European protection. Mossland Habitat Action Plan 2008 mossland habitat within the adjacent Botany habitat is listed in Annex 1 of the EC Habitats Bay Wood. and Species Directive. COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 (European Habitats Directive), considers that 3. Salford City Council and Wigan MBC have raised bog still capable of supporting bog declared a number of air quality management vegetation within 30 years should be areas, within which the air quality is considered as of European Importance. measured and monitored.

2. A Mossland Group consisting of the 4. Efforts to phase out the use of peat Environment Agency, Natural England, the products by local authorities has had limited Lancashire Wildlife Trust, and the BAP success. Of the 10 local authorities, only Managers of Greater Manchester, Lancashire Salford and Manchester were able to able to and Merseyside meet monthly to discuss and say that they were peat free. The remainder prioritise action on mossland sites. A report implied that peat was still being used within undertaken by one of the members of the local authority parks and that there was a group details the remaining 31-mossland resistance by Parks Departments to use peat sites within Greater Manchester, Lancashire free alternatives. Of the 10 local authorities and North Merseyside. The report describes within Greater Manchester only 4 the condition of the individual sites and the (Manchester, Salford, and Wigan) potential for restoration. The report identifies signed the Peatlands Protection Charter. 14 sites within Greater Manchester that

5. 3. habitat havebeenidentif important fo mossland sitesthat Moss, parcelsofla Hydrological Planfor have beenidentifie support acidpeathabitatandprioritysites Astley MossReserve has alrea business p main prioritiesandisincluded land adjace the acquisitionofboth managemen the landcomesavail extraction siteat12Yar possible w large-scale provision of Yards Road,maywe Trust onth restoration on ChatMosshasbeenlimited.The 4. delivered. approach tomossland through lan and North covering Lancashire, successful infunding

The LancashireWildlifeTrusthasincluded Work toprovidesuitableNightja The LancashireWildlifeTrust l Merseyside. Itisenvisagedthat downer liaison,alandscapescale an. 4.3haoflandadjacent tothe works undertakenbyth n habitat creat e 12hamossland hen thewholeofpeat r therestorationof some suitab t. t topeatla Lowland Mosslands d. areconsideredas nd areasasoneofit nd surroundingthe mossland h Aspar able forappropriate 2 mosslandofficers, ion workswillonlybe Greater Mancheste ll contribut conservatio d Astley andBedford ied. le habitat. s Roadce habitat at1

abitat and has been e tothe t ofthe within it n mossland However, e Wildlife d ases and r habitat canbe y been 2 s s r

identified. purchased a above 20m are issued catchment managemen environment to helpba Abstraction abstraction 6. Croxten’s siteareto provide recreational also berest mossland adjacenttoBotanyBa undertaken guaranteed restorationworkstobe East). The and peat,sand permissions toextract 1. Land Management Under thelicensing flood riskm identify andagreepoliciesforsu decision-ma Agency seekstowo strategic planningtoolthroughwhichthe Managemen Agency alsoimplementt are currentlyassessed abstraction, Section The EnvironmentAgencylicenceswater la 3 on2/3of anagement. scale. 106 Agreementsareattachedto nce the / Astley Moss kers within and havedevelopedCatchment Managemen when therateofabstractionis ored. Conditionsattach , andaidthesu only impactsondesign t Plan(CFMP). t ofwaterresourcesona nd furtherlandiscurrentlybeing day. Lice nee gravels (AstleyMoss

thesite.16haof arrangementsfor ds ofwater- nces for . peat (Croxt a rivercatchmentto Eastagree rk withot t Strategies(CAMS) TheEnvironment he CatchmentFlood ab T y users, the Wood will h a stractions en’s site) ed toth ment has stainable stainable her key is a ted site e s

Habitat Action Plan 2008 Lowland Mosslands

opportunities including nature conservation, Restoration works on Ince Moss, Wigan, however, a proposal to extend the peat have also been undertaken. Land lowering extraction for another 25 years and to take works adjacent to the moss, revealed 0.33 ha the peat down to 1 meter is currently being of underlying peat habitat. The new peat area submitted. has been bunded so that it is now isolated from outside hydrology and rewetted. The Further negotiation will be required with land lowering work at Ince Moss has also landowners to ensure the maximum enhanced 4ha of reedbed, a complimentary biodiversity gain. Currently the whole of the habitat to mosslands. Little Woolden Moss is to be turned over to agriculture, with the loss of over 100ha of 3. Overall 28 ha of scrub/woodland have potential mossland/lagg fen habitat. The been cleared from the mossland sites, Habitat Action Plan 2008 current assessment of the site is that there is increasing the chances of successful between 0.5 to 1 meters of peat depth restoration. remaining. 4. The Chat Moss Action Group has been 2. A Management plan for the Lancashire formed, composed of stakeholders and Wildlife Trust Reserve at Astley Moss has environmental organisations. A vision been completed and the reserve has been document was commissioned by Red Rose entered into Environmental Stewardship. The Forest. The Vision document aims to secure Bedford Moss site is currently under the a long-term vision for the mossland area and Reserves Enhancement Scheme, operated address the current fragmentation and by Natural England. A further 10 ha at Astley decline of the landscape as a whole. The Moss and 12 ha at 12 Yards Road (Croxten’s vision identifies operational zones so that a site) are currently being restored, with a cohesive structure between the different land program of scrub removal, bunding and ditch uses can be formed. Within the Vision, blocking. The works undertaken on the Astley biodiversity and hydrological zones have Moss reserve, have allowed Natural England been identified around the mossland sites to to re-classify one of the compartments from protect the hydrological integrity of the Unfavourable Declining to Unfavourable mossland habitat and provide complementary Recovering. wetland habitat, enhancing the biodiversity of the area.

6. mossland la strategic mossland management,acquisit Lancashire Biodiversity Managers the LancashireWild Natural England,the 5. interest ofth hydrological zonerequiredtoprotectthe study aimstoiden study within Salford CityCouncilhascommissioneda approximate the 33ha restoration AtRed Afurthe withint long-term managemen

T and Merseysidemeetst plan havebeencompleted.Of ndscape acr w Moss, the e mossland l r mosslandgroup,comprising, part ofthe y 80%ofthelandhasn elve Yar Lowland Mosslands d s Road lif he restora Environmen Chat Moss e Trustan fromMa tify thenecessary o actions int habitats. ss the3re (GMEU) i on t ion plan, area. The t ofthe t Agency, s andthe o gions. nchester, d the he 2001 o discuss w been

3

project, mossland 2. review isasectiononbe of BestPra 1. Advisory county ofSouthLancash June 2007, 1925. Spha recorded on vegetation. re-wetted sufficientlyfo mossland conservationcan bedeliv liaison, a 2011). Itis officers fort has beensuccessf landowners. TheLancashireWildlifeTrust advice tomosslandownersandadjacent mossland of 3. on theremainingmossla thereby reducingthed promote the engagement hasgiventheopportunityto and theircurrentvulnerability.Thi promoted theimportanceofmossla audience t surrounding undertaken in Aspart Thefu RedMo

envisaged thatthrough o nding and ss ha c AstleyMo he next2years(March2009-Apr of theWildlifeTrust’s useofnon-peatbasedproducts, ficer is landscape thesite Round-leaved Sundewhasbeen was thefirstrecordfor bereached.Thet gnu tice. the scho m With s been m ul in centr a for g establish e in thismosslandBAP e o ss, allowing talks have useda funding2 r thegrowthofbo velopment nd resource. st practiceg a i scale appr llanicum thefirst ls re. l tothepro within s an

Wigan m timesince recorded in a landowner ent ofa nd habitat pressures ered. s typeof mossland mossland awider example lks have thevice oach to u

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Habitat Action Plan 2008 Lowland Mosslands

Research and Monitoring BARS Countdown 2010 on biannual bases 1. A report was commissioned by the for the past 2 years. Environment Agency (Paul Thomas), detailing the State and extent of surviving 2. Current research is building up new acid mossland habitats within Lancashire, evidence on the role mosslands have in Greater Manchester and North Merseyside. locking up carbon and thereby having a The report describes and maps the condition positive effect on climate change. of the individual sites and the potential for restoration. Restoration works on mossland Communication and Publicity habitats are inputted into BARS annually. As Press releases and radio appearances have part of the Mossland Project, the Lancashire helped to publicise the importance of and Wildlife Trust have been inputting into the threat to our mossland resource. Habitat Action Plan 2008

Objectives and targets

Objective Target Quantity Target Date Units Maintaining Maintain the extent of the existing 167 2015 Ha extent Greater Manchester lowland raised mire resource. Maintaining Ensure no further loss of peat 435 2015 Ha extent deposits. Achieving Rehabilitate degraded bog habitat 167 2020 Ha Condition still capable of natural regeneration (in targeted areas) to bring most of the primary and secondary resource into or approaching favourable condition through appropriate management. Restore Restore Lowland Raised Bog 100 2020 Ha immediately on chosen areas of archaic peat to ensure a sustainable hydrological regime for adjacent extant habitat

on thehy to peatlandsiteshavenoadverseimpact 3. EnsurethatWater ♦ ♦ ♦ peat extraction. resource throughd 2. Ensurenofuturelossofourpeatland LA’s. 2015 mossland conservation. in developin period. The able tofund2mosslandofficersfora2-year The LancashireWild mossland conservation. 1. Developlandscapeapproachto Proposed actions ♦ habitat. impacts. sites and Plot allabst LA’s, NE,EA,GMEU, extraction sitestomosslandhabitat sites a Liase withlandownersofpeatextraction Importance (SBI) designate sites, in Review the current extractionperio be approvedbeyondthelifesp No furtherpeatextractionlicence d nd n r officerswill clu g olog

asSit alandsca d egotiate restorationofa designat investigatehydrological Lowland Mosslands r ing barepeathabita a y c ortherestorationof t i o life n s Abstraction

evelopment and/or Trustha pe scaleap lead thewayforward a ion e WT’s, NE,GMBP, d WT’s. 2011 s ofB ds. j a ofalldeep c e n t

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♦ 4. Afforesta ♦ ♦ existing mosslandhabitat. the absenc 20m Currently, area ofimportantpeatlandh abstraction Ensure thatlicence Ongoing table. strengthen theprotectionofwater license developmen Ensuring a mossland sitesarecu WT’s, LA’s, growth of water tableuptooptimallevelsf controlling species, r aimed atcontrolling into conser Managemen appropriate landowners tobring environment the sitesintoownershipof Target mosslandsit 3 /day th s EA, a e oftarget t ion/scrub encroachmentsand onlya t mossland vegetation. s thatdono educing waterlossand managemen RRF, LBM.Ongoing vation man he waterle at ma t r ts needsforabst al organisationsor t onmossla SCC, WMB theplan e fully y i ed manage m e b s in s andeither pact ondesignated straction aregrantedto thesite vading scru assesse agement wi ning stage vels bringin t. C t impacton nd sitesbro rrently lice , GMEU, s

d EA,NE, ment for above s int r bring o abitat. aid action that b g n could LWT. ll be r the any /tree ught the sed. o

Habitat Action Plan 2008 Lowland Mosslands

5. Habitat isolation as a result of 7. Provide evidence and publicise fragmentation of existing areas, oxidation Mosslands as an important Carbon Sink/ and compaction of peat deposits under enhance public perception and opening agricultural management up new avenues of funding for mossland Work closely with landowners adjacent to conservation peatland areas to deliver a landscape scale The vital part peat deposits have in providing mossland conservation vision. The a carbon sink will be highlighted. The development of mossland corridors will World’s northern peatlands are its most enable fragmented sites to be linked and important terrestrial carbon store; it is reduce isolation. The development of estimated that 20-30% of the global terrestrial complimentary wetland habitat adjacent to carbon is held in 3% of its land area, i.e. in mossland sites will increase the sustainability northern peatlands. Mosslands also have the Habitat Action Plan 2008 of the core mossland habitat by aiding the ability to sequester carbon, if they are retention of appropriate water levels. Working managed correctly. Wet mossland habitat with landowners will ensure that operations that supports a good coverage of Sphagnum undertaken on adjacent land will not damage moss is therefore of significant environmental the hydrological integrity of the mossland and economic importance. It is therefore habitat. LA’s, EA, NE, WT’s, LBM, GMBP. vitally important to build up this new evidence 2015 base of the role mosslands have in locking up carbon thereby having a positive effect on 6. Research the desirability of climate change. The research will also translocation of characteristic species enable new and initiative ways of funding the into newly developed mossland sites protection of the mossland resource. WT’s, Many of the sphagnum species should be NE, LA’s, EA, GMBP. Ongoing able to establish themselves naturally within the mossland areas. This should be 8. Provide habitat within the mosslands monitored and the abundance of mosses suitable for breeding nightjar assessed regularly. If then required donor ♦ Identify areas on the mossland where the sites should be sourced with the view to raising of water levels would not be translocation of certain species if deemed possible and encourage the development necessary. WT’s, LBM. Ongoing of drier habitats such as heathland to encourage the colonisation by Nightjar.

GMBP EA LEAD P Nightjar. suitable h and mirewillgreatlyin heathland delivered. mossland conservatio to peatlandareas,alandsca By working ♦ ♦ WT’s WM SCC RRF NE LBM LA’s GMEU

BC LBM. 2015 term manag then bebroughtinto habitat ont should bet East, Little The former for nightjar. habitat, whichshould some siteswillsupp

Within the

Environme

A R The establishmentofgoodquality habitat, merginginto T abitat availablefor closely with NERS

Projec Greate Greate Wildlife Salford CityCouncil Wiga Natural Local Biodive Local Red Woolden MossandCh a mosslandrestoration he drierare peat workingsatAstleyMoss Lowland Mosslands ement.

rgeted torestoringhea Ro n Authorit t r r MBC se Man Man Trust Engla crease the landownersadjacent n Fo n visioncanbe WT’s, LA’s, t

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to thein and amassivereductio vegetation cover,alo agriculture. peat extra resource h resource. Thedamag undertaken it isvitalthatappropriatemanag of pristinemosslandhab managemen Pristine mosslandwillrequirelittleorno Best practiceguidelines ♦ ♦ ♦ is toach The mainobjectiveofmosslandma of bogspecies. water table damage. mossland h establish few years bog speciesisgreatlyreducedafte lost. Thevi the charact vegetation canoccurre Prevention ofserialscr associat which willb vegetation, especiallysphagnummosses, Optimal waterlevelsformos A rangeofmosslandcommunities i stallation ofd . eve:

onthe This usually a Themanagementtorestore ability ofthe abitat need ed species. e and isther Thishasr to alevels c t, butasth s beenca ristic tion and/ e suitable species mayh i tches anddra ss oft s toreversethepast e u remaining mossland seedsofmanythe used mostlythrough involvesraisingthe n d, although ere arenoexamples efore difficu or conversionto itat intheNorthwest, e toourmossland sulted in itable forthegrowth fo inwaterlevelsdue ub succe r arangeof he p t he lossof a nagement eat dome ssion. manyof ement is ve been i lt tore- r onlya ns. Re- other s land

Habitat Action Plan 2008 Lowland Mosslands

♦ Development of mossland corridors. The peat used to construct the dams should ♦ Develop a range of small pools for not be dry or too wet in consistency. If it aquatic plant species and Odonata etc. were too dry, it would not provide a ♦ Management of non-native weed species hydrological barrier. Too wet and it would be as required. difficult to work with. Large vegetated turfs ♦ Control of disturbance and damage by should also be avoided as these do not fit human influence tightly together and provide access for water movement. Dams should be constructed so It is critical to the successful restoration of that water levels can rise to the best height to mosslands to achieve the correct water ensure the growth of bog vegetation, usually levels. This is primarily achieved by the bringing the water levels to or just above the blocking of the drainage ditches. ground level. Habitat Action Plan 2008

In practice this is a matter of judgement, as mosslands are not an entirely flat environment. Some areas may become too wet, whilst others remain too dry. The position and number of dams will have to reflect this change in land levels. Collation of land level data will aid this process, providing information on the fall and rise of land throughout the site. Collation of waterflows will also be required to provide an accurate Bund heightening to isolate peat compartments steer on the positioning of dams.

Ditches can be blocked using a number of Bunding (raising land levels over a linear different materials, including peat plugs, distance) works help to isolate the mossland plastic piling dams or marine ply dams. from outside ground water influence and Usually a belt and braces approach is raise water levels. Again the land level and desirable and ply and plastic dams should be water flow data can be used to predict the backed filled with peat to ensure a waterproof best positioning of the bunds. The bunds barrier. Advice should be sought from the have added advantage in that through the Environment Agency, as consent may be installation of pipes and right-angled bends, required for any in channel structures. the level of water within the bunded areas

use water Plastic pili can establish. shallow scr creation wo colonisat be manipulatedandra can beco peat shouldberemo to createth be skimmedoffandtheunderlyingpeatused restoration ombrotrophic peat downwards. Itisvitaltha peat massandallowwatert up toomuchpeatmaypuncha of thepeatshouldfirst When workingpeattob Water Voleandit may thereforebe have been after thepeathasbeenremoved. surface vegetationsho d tofine-tunethede ta ble. i ng on ntr

works. Surfacevegetationshould e bunds.O ape areaswherebog processpr shown tosupportpopulations of rks also dams o

lled. Wate Right-a Lowland Mosslands and is p ngl sired heig allows thecr pe be assesse ed n ved. The u ised gradua r oceeds. u r levelscan esent for ly thefirst at plug ld thenbereplaced ild bunds,t pipe h s s hel t.

ca h d. Digging Mosslands t skimmed o successf vegetation 1-meter of n enough The bund p o lly asth

eation of escape therefore he depth raisethe le in then the be ul e

bog vegetation. restoration quadrates canbe to there to monitorwaterlevelsa Dipwells an this spe mitigation workstoensuretheprot necessary toundertakevolesurveysand

Particularly invasivespeciesonmosslands Impact ofInvasivespecies land management Bracken co Bracken managementintheuplands Bracken co species canbe Further informationaboutcontrolofinvasive specialised block d are remove herbicide mosslands, managed throughre-wettingofthe are Downy England

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Habitat Action Plan 2008 Lowland Mosslands

Links to relevant BAP’s

Native Woodlands

Reedbeds & Bittern

Water voles

References

Dr. Fred Worrall (2008) The potential for Habitat Action Plan 2008 carbon storage at Chat Moss Pers. comm.

Thomas, Paul. Mosslands of the Northwest: State and Extent of Surviving Mossland Habitats. Environment Agency

Acknowledgements

Thanks to all those who provided feedback on the action plan and for the use of photographs supplied by Martyn Walker and the Greater Manchester Ecology Unit (GMEU).

Author

Martyn Walker Conservation Officer for Greater Manchester [email protected]