May Moss bog about to double in size

May Moss will double in size. Credit Forestry Commission.

New lease of life for ancient North York moors bog
September 2009. The Forestry Commission has been awarded £173,000 from the SITA Trust to double the size of May Moss on the estate in Langdale Forest, near Fylingdales - the biggest and deepest blanket bog in the North York Moors.

30 years of research
Researchers have been working on the site for nearly 30 years, taking core samples from peat up to six metres deep in a bid to learn more about climate change in the past. The bog is perfect for such research because it is entirely fed by rain water, rather than streams and rivers. But as well as being a vivid record of the past, it also has a key part to play in local strategies to cope with severe weather events, say experts.

Natural flood control
Brian Walker, Forestry Commission Wildlife Officer, explained: "Conservation is the driving force behind the plan. But plants and wildlife are not the only beneficiaries. May Moss stores a vast amount of rain water, helping to regulate the run off into streams, rivers and settlements downstream. A bigger and healthier bog will be more effective in soaking up cloud bursts and also in keeping rivers levels more stable during drier periods by slowly releasing the water."

170,000 trees to be cleared
The project will involve felling 170,000 conifer trees covering 70-hectares (175-acres) to allow more of May Moss to revert to boggy moorland. That will help plants like sphagnum mosses, along with dragonflies and birds. Trees were planted on the site in the 20th century to bolster the nation's depleted timber reserves. However, they also sucked moisture from the bog, slowly drying it out and reducing the quality of the peat. To help re-wet the area drains will also be blocked.

Natural sponge
Vince Carter, Forestry Commission Regional Development Manager, added "Bogs like May Moss act as a natural sponge. Working with nature by keeping such areas in good condition is one way land can be managed more effectively to lesson the severity of flooding. The scheme also delivers other key benefits, including restoration of a rare habitat and boosting local wildlife, both key priorities for the Forestry Commission."

Felling work has begun with smaller trees being mulched on site and timber also dispatched to the wood fuel power station operated by SembCorp on Teesside. But to ensure harvesters don't get bogged down they will be fitted with extra wide tracks and tyres specially designed for the job.

More about Langdale Forest and May Moss