Bleaklow timelapse sequence

These fixed point photos, taken over the last 13 years, show the return of vegetation to Hern Clough on Bleaklow, Derbyshire - one of the sites where Moors for the Future Partnership have carried out conservation works:

2003 - the site is largely bare peat and exposed mineral soil

 

 

2005 - after initial treatment with heather brash, lime, seed and fertilizer the grass 'nurse crop' is in evidence. Note the empty brash bags awaiting removal.

2008 - repeat treatments have allowed the nurse crop to become established, knitting the peat surface together.

2010 - the nurse grasses have almost completely covered the bare peat, and there is evidence of other plants becoming established.

2013 - the area of exposed mineral soil is noticeably reduced and there are signs of dwarf shrubs like heather growing.

2016 - the dwarf shrub coverage has increased as can be seen by this heather in flower.

Watch a video of the re-vegetation so far...

Wildlife photos from Crisis event - part 2

Last Friday was the second 'Creative Conservation' Community Science event with Crisis members from Sheffield. Member Steve Smith has shared this set of cracking wildlife shots he took on the day:

One of the highlights of the day was a close encounter with this roe buck near Longshaw estate

Another shot, as the roe deer makes a hasty exit...

A beautiful reed bunting seen singing in a patch of soft rush

Just one of the hundreds of millipedes all making their way along the path in Burbage Valley



A stunning meadow pipit; in a classic pose!


 

Wildlife photos from Community Science walk with Crisis members

Last Friday was the inaugural 'Creative Conservation' Community Science event with Crisis members from Sheffield -  consisting of a guided wildlife walk around the Millstone Edge and Padley Gorge area led by the Community Science team and Tom from the National Park Ranger Service, followed by an introduction to Community Science (and lunch stop) at Brunt's Barn near Grindleford.

Peacock butterfly (c) Steve Smith

Crisis member and photographer Steve took some pictures of some of the wildlife which was spotted, including the Community Science target species the Peacock Butterfly (above) - seen and recorded just below Millstone Edge.

A northern hairy wood ant nest (c) Steve Smith

Some of the other species also seen/heard and talked about were: orange-tip butterfly; early, white-tailed and tree bumblebees; willow warbler, chiffchaff, redstart, pied flycatcher, meadow and tree pipits, stonechat, buzzard, great spotted woodpecker, northern hairy wood ants, bluebells, lesser celandine, wood sorrel and birch polypore fungus (also known as razor strop) and red kite.

Female pied flycatcher (c) Steve Smith

Red kite (c) Steve Smith

Thanks to Steve for sending in these great photos, and also to everyone else involved for making it a very enjoyable day.

Picture perfect

I was very pleased this week to officially announce the winner and runners up in our 2015 photography competition. Many fantastic entries were sent in, covering the theme of 'moorland and wildlife'.

A shortlist of 25 was narrowed down to 1 overall winner and 5 runners up.

The winning image was the beautiful photo below: Malcolm Mee's shot of a short-eared owl which has momentarily perched on a moorland fence post. 

Worth the wait: Malcolm Mee's winning image

As Malcolm explained; he had been visiting the same spot for about 4 years to watch these daytime hunting owls, and finally (from his car) he snapped this suberb photo. The judges, Kate MacRae (Wildlife Kate) and Paul Hobson praised the golden light, and the use of the background moorland which put the owl into context with its landscape.

To read more about the winning picture and see the runners up; please visit our website.

November's Environmental Monitoring

Guest blog entry by Rowan Shand McIntosh - Environmental Monitoring Volunteer

The Environmental Monitoring site on Kinder Scout above Edale has given up its first set of results from its new data loggers.

Air humidty logger. Photo by Rowan Shand McIntosh

First stop was the moorland centre to pick up the shuttle, notepad and GPS. Setting off at around 12:00, it was a nice warm walk up in the clear November air before having a picnic lunch. Soon setting to work began by criss-crossing between 10 primary quadrats collecting ground temperature readings with the waterproof shuttle. Back and forth - it began to feel like a treasure hunt - looking far ahead of the GPS to spot the tell-tale dipwell tube to show the quadrat. 

Being engrossed in the job, it is refreshing just to be working steadily outdoors.

Stopping for lunch - the view. Photo by Rowan Shand McIntosh

After checking all the kit is still in your bag it’s fantastic to look up and take in the view after concentrating for so long. The sun is low in the sky. Long shadows in the valley and just a cup of tea before the amble back to upload the data.
 

Moor Mosses and Sphagnum Sorting...

This week the Community Science team was very lucky to be visited by ecologist Dr Ros Tratt from the University of Sheffield, who spent some time with us putting mosses under the microscope -  and putting us through our paces in the field.

We spent time separating small samples of vital peat forming Sphagnum mosses from other mosses, and then identified them to species level by looking at their typical characteristics - size, shape, colour, leaf shapes and orientations and other details which can be seen using a hand lens or a microscope.

All this activity was in preparation for our new citizen science survey of Sphagnum - The Big Moss Map, which will be launched this autumn. If you're interested in learning more about moss; why it is important and how to identify it, then watch this space...

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.