Monitoring Marsden Moor

Yesterday saw the successful completion of the first stage in setting up a new site to monitor long-term environmental and vegetation changes on the moors near Marsden.

National Trust's Marsden Moor Estate survey group volunteers set up 30 randomly located quadrats (2x2 m survey areas) with the Community Science team and NT ranger Rob, which will be used to monitor variables such as water table, peat depth and temperature; as well as changes in vegetation.

Yellow ground-level markers (see photo above) were installed in random locations within a 100x100 m square and labelled, and dipwells - used to measure the water table - were installed into the peat. Finally the group measured the peat depth (the deepest point found was 2.74 m) in some of the quadrats.

We're now looking forward to the next step - finishing the set up and carrying out an initial survey to find out which plant species are present on the site.