Why I am helping to record Sphagnum

Guest blog post by 'The Big Moss Map' volunteer Debbie Wallace

Sphagnum is very important for healthy peatlands and knowing where it is and how well it is faring is essential for its conservation.

I am studying for an MSc Biological Recording and I like to spend my time doing this…

These are a few examples from my survey route.

I am recording the location of Sphagnum in the Peak District for the Big Moss Map.

If you take a good close look at Sphagnum, you will be rewarded; they are really fabulous.  

Some species can have quite vibrant colours and they have subtly different leaf shapes and characteristics.  

After participating in several mosses and liverworts courses and a Sphagnum identification workshop during 2015, I really wanted to put what I had learned to good use and contribute to this very worthwhile project.

The Moors for the Future survey method is simple to follow and it can be carried out by anyone with an interest in nature and a love of the outdoors. No prior knowledge of Sphagnum identification is required.

http://www.moorsforthefuture.org.uk/community-science/bigmossmap/stepbystep

I can highly recommend attending one of the survey training days; they are really informative and enjoyable. The training provides all of the information that a volunteer needs in order to get out and collect some really valuable Sphagnum records for the Big Moss Map. 

My surveys so far

I am recording all of the Sphagnum which grows within 2m of each side of this track and I have found quite a lot so far. It takes a keen eye as sometimes it can be quite well hidden.

Chapel Gate - 21st January 2016

So far, I have been surveying during December, January and February (it's nicer than it sounds). 

It may sound pretty obvious but you can't find and record Sphagnum if it is under a blanket of snow. This meant that sometimes I had to wait for days when the snow had cleared. I am looking forward to spring and summer.

In addition to the very sound safety advice provided by the Moors for the Future team, http://www.moorsforthefuture.org.uk/sites/default/files/csp/HealthAndSafetyGuidelines.pdf, I also found the following routine to be very useful in keeping me safe and warm during my winter surveys:

• I check the mountain weather forecast to make sure that the weather is suitable for a survey. http://www.mwis.org.uk/english-welsh-forecast/PD/
• I know my route well and my partner knows exactly where I am going.
• I carry a first aid kit, plenty of food, spare clothes, and some shelter.
• I find hand warmers are really useful and hot soup on a cold day is wonderful.
• I use a phone app which, providing I have a phone signal, allows me to text, email or tweet my grid reference very easily. I send text updates throughout the day. http://www.mike-irving.co.uk/portfolio/mobile-apps/gb-grid-ref-worker/ 

On a cold day hot soup is an excellent thing to have

   

My survey routine 

Each patch of Sphagnum has a number on the survey form

I take a piece or 'Whiteboard' (smooth wipe-clean plastic will do) and a dry wipe pen. 

For each new patch of Sphagnum, my first photo has the patch number and the grid reference. The 25cm scale is drawn on with a permanent marker. This is the start of my photo series. 

I take some close up photos which show the characteristic 
features, and a general habitat photo.

All of this makes entering records and uploading the corresponding photos much easier.

Although I had already attended a Sphagnum identification workshop and wanted to record the specific species of Sphagnum that I found, this is not necessary in order to take part in the survey and to contribute to the Big Moss Map. The 'Sphagnum Species' column is an optional one.

I am getting out there to find out, 'Where is all the Sphagnum?' http://moorcitizens.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/where-is-all-sphagnum.html

Debbie Wallace, February 2016

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.

The wettest month ever

One of the variables which is recorded on each Community Science Environmental Monitoring site in rainfall level.

To do this, volunteers install an automated rain gauge. This works by channeling water which falls on the surface of a bucket down a funnel into a tipper mechanism. Each time the tipper fills, an automatic logger records 1 'event'. Each event (i.e. tip) equates to 0.2mm of rain, so if you know how many times the tipper has tipped you can work out how much rain has fallen and when.

Inside the rain gauge -  the tipper mechanism is visible in the middle

As you may know, December 2015 holds the overall UK prize for the wettest month since records began. So how much rain did we record?

The graph below shows the daily amount of rain that fell on our site near Holme (West Yorkshire) throughout December - downloaded from the rain gauge by the volunteers who look after the site.

The wettest days were the 12th and the 26th - both recording over 50mm of rain -  and as you might remember the heavy rainfall around both storms 'Desmond' and 'Eva' (Boxing day) caused extensive flooding in areas of Cumbria,Yorkshire and Lancashire - and equate to these readings.

December rainfall at Holme EM site (mm)

The total which fell on this site in December was 294.8mm, this compares to 230mm which was the average UK total for the month, and 137mm which was the figure for England. More information about December's weather can be found on the Met Office website.

BBC Countryfile hare-piece

Community Science's Hare Survey was featured as part of a wider piece about the mountain hare population in the Peak District and South Pennines on last night's BBC Countryfile.

Countryfile presented Ellie Harrison and Community Science Project Manager Sarah Proctor meeting on Bleaklow

The piece covered some background information about the hares and their adaptation to cold and inhospitable conditions (which were certainly in evidence on the day of filming), before talking about how you can get involved in our survey; and how sending in your sightings of hares can help us to understand the implications of climate change for this charming upland mammal.

Ellie and Sarah talk mountain hares, climate change and citizen science!

 The episode was broadcast on 13/12/15; and will be available on iPlayer for 30 days. To catch-up, visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06sphxz

To take part in the survey, visit: http://www.moorsforthefuture.org.uk/community-science/haresurvey

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.