3.0 - Conservation Practices
In this third installment, I will be discussing and analysing the conservation efforts that have been made in order to restore Drumburgh Moss and which have subsequently renewed its biodiversity.
According to the Cumbria Wildlife Trust (2019) due to past drainage and peat cutting of the moss and surrounding farmland has meant that Drumburgh Moss is much drier than it should be. Since then Cumbria Wildlife Trust has carried out extensive restoration work, such as:
Hydrological management e.g. ditch blocking
Peat profiling
Vegetation removal e.g. trees and scrub.
Since these practices were put in place, it has effectively helped water levels begin to rise and caused the vegetation found in the bog to start to regrow.
Similarly another conservation practice that has been in place is that around the moss are areas of wetland and dry heath, scrub and grassland which is continuously managed by hardy, grazing Exmoor ponies and longhorn cattle which keep the vegetation open and prevent scrub from dominating (INUC UK, 2020).
The full extent of the previous and ongoing conservation practices that are still taking place at Drumburgh Moss can be identified in the Site Improvement Plan by Natural England (2014), the document plan provides a high level overview of the issues (both current and predicted) affecting the condition of the Natura 2000 features on the site(s) and outlines the priority measures required to improve the condition of the features.
The full Site Improvement document can be read here:
As a result of the extensive restoration work, the land is recovering and species that have been absent from the area for many years are finally returning. Now the site is regularly monitored so that it can continue to develop and thrive for years to come, without interference and risk of damage from humans.
The success of these conservation practices are evidenced in the assignment of the locations SSSI status, due to the sites rarity and diversity across both plants and animals.
The full SSSI report can be read here: https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/PDFsForWeb/Citation/1004036.pdf
Exmoor Pony - Image Credits: Cumbria Wildlife Trust, 2019
3.1 - Biodiversity
As mentioned previously, due to Drumburgh Moss's remarkable recovery, the site is now thriving with previously absent and specialist species of both plants and animals.
A prevalent species includes Sphagnum moss, which is known to be a key and identifiable species of the lowland raised mire habitat. It is also known as an indicator species as its abundance reflects the conditions of its environment, with Drumburgh Moss containing a total of 13 different species, including Sphagnum papillosum and Sphagnum magellanicum. Sphagnum moss needs the acidic and nutrient poor conditions of the mires to survive. Also, due to the high water levels, which have been restored due to hydrological management, has meant there is plenty of water for them to hold in their spongy forms long after the surrounding soil has dried out, providing essential nutrients and helping to prevent the decay of dead plant material. It is this organic matter that gets compressed over hundreds of years to form peat (Cumbria Wildlife Trust, 2019).
A key animal species found at Drumburgh Moss is the large heath butterfly, Coenonympha tullia, this butterfly is a nationally rare invertebrate that lays its eggs on cotton grass plants that can also be found at Drumburgh Moss. Similarly, the large heath butterfly is restricted to living upon wet boggy habitats and breed in open wet areas such as Drumburgh Moss. They breed where their foodplant grows and predominantly have a base of Sphagnum moss. Cumbria Wildlife Trusts extensive restoration work, including peat profiling has led to vegetation regrowth, which in turn has provided a vital habitat for this rare species of butterfly.
It is important to preserve the diverse array of species and their habitat at Drumburgh Moss, for they belong to a threatened environment that is not commonplace within our world today. Not only that, but these environments also play a role in the understanding of the location's historic past, including what it was previously like and how it has developed through time. This is evidenced by the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (2008) who stated that peat accumulation preserves a unique and irreplaceable record of plant and animal remains and some atmospheric deposits from which it is possible to assess historical patterns of vegetation and climate change and human land use. For these reasons I think it is safe to assume that the conservation work accomplished at Drumburgh Moss has been successful and effective at rejuvenating an amazing environment.