Wessenden Moors Restoration Begins for Yorkshire Water as Herritage Lottery Funded works enter final phases.

As one restoration project finishes another begins. The Conservation Works team are now completing the last few projects funded under the Hertitage Lottery Grant. At the same time the team have now begun restoration works on the Wessenden Moors for Yorkshire Water and Natural England. In the first half of 2008 we are:

Airlifting of Heather Brash to the Wessenden Moors sites – Jan 2008 to Mar 2008
4500 bags of heather brash have been airlifted to 4 different areas on the wessenden moors. Although high winds and low cloud have restricted the number of days flying we have been able to take full advantage of calm and clear conditions when they have arrived. Volunteers from the Peak District National Park Rangers have again provided invaluable help on the hill marshalling loads and retriving ropes used to attach the loads of heather brash to the helicopter.

Spreading Heather Brash on the Wessenden Moors sites – Jan 2008 to Mar 2008
Three different teams of contractors have been undertaking the spreading of the 4500 bags of brash. By the end of March 2008 they will have spread enough brash to cover nearly 30Ha of bare and eroding peat.

Applying Geotextiles to steep and eroding gully sides on the the Wessenden Moors sites – Jan 2008 to Mar 2008
13km of Geotextile has been applied to the steep gully sides where the brash is less effective. The textile is held in place by 33,000 steel fixing pins.

Applying granulated lime to the Wessenden Moors sites – April 2008
The next stage in the establishment of a protective cover on the bare peat is the establishment of a continous cover of grasses and other vegetation. 156Ha of moorland will be treated with a fast acting granulated lime to spike the soil ph to one more suited for the establishment of the nurse crop grasses.

Applying fertilser and grass seed to the Wessenden Moors and Black Hill sites – May 2008
It takes around six weeks for the granulate lime to effect the ph of the peat. At this point ferliser and grass seed is applied. 200Ha of moorland will be treated. The site will receive subsequent ‘maintainance’ treatments of fertiliser in 2009 and 2010. These maintainance treatments to support the nurse crop grasses in this hostile growing enviroment.

Applying fertilser to the Bleaklow sites – May 2008
The last phase of restoration funded under the Herritage Lottery Fund grant is the application of the final ‘maintainance’ fertiliser treatment to some of the Bleaklow restoration sites.

Areas Affected by Lime Seed and Fertiliser Operations 2008
Maps and notices highlighting the areas affected by these activites are posted at key access points. Maps showing the areas affected on Bleaklow can be found here and for Wessenden Moors here.

The lime, seed and fertiliser is applied to the site form from a spreader under a helicopter. If you do find yourself in either of these areas when the restoration works are being undertaken then; for Health and Safety reasons, please follow the access advice given by any restoration staff working on site when the helicopter operations are in progress. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.