News

289 SQUARE MILES OF HEATHER MOORLAND TO BE IMPROVED AND CONSERVED

14th August 2000

The Northern Upland Moorland Regeneration Project announced the results of its second year’s work today. Since its launch in October 1998, improvement*1 and conservation*2 of just under 75,000 (74973) hectares of heather moorland has been secured. This equates to an area over half the size of The Peak District National Park, where this important wildlife habitat has been safeguarded well into the 21st century. In addition, as a result of the project, 18 full-time and four part-time sustainable jobs have been agreed for remote rural areas with ten successful applicants already in post.

The overall aim of the project, instigated by the Moorland Association and funded by The European Objective 5b Programme, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, English Nature, and participating farmers and landowners, is to protect and improve heather moorlands for the benefit of grouse, sheep and wildlife. The moorland management systems, planned and implemented by the project, offer technical and financial assistance to farmers and landowners to integrate agriculture, sporting and environmental objectives, in order to increase farm incomes, improve job opportunities in rural areas and enhance the upland moorland environment.

Says Peter Welsh, English Nature’s Senior Officer for North East Yorkshire: “The blanket bog and heathland habitats of the Northern Uplands are recognised as being of international ecological importance and are scarce on a world scale. The work this project is carrying out is crucial to improving their condition in terms of vegetation and diversity of wildlife. The technical information, backed by financial assistance, on best farming and keepering practice, will help develop the moors into sustainable working and living environments, with all the social, environmental and economical benefits that integrated management brings.”


These habitats also support populations of breeding birds which are equally internationally renowned, and much of the moorland is important enough to potentially become a Special Protection Area under the EU Birds Directive. Says Andy Bunten, Regional Manager of the RSPB for Northumberland: “The integration of environmental goals, alongside sporting and agricultural objectives, is an important feature of this scheme. We are anticipating increases in a suite of upland birds, including Dunlin and Golden Plover.”

Says Philip Bull, Project Manager for the Northern Upland Moorland Regeneration Project: “The level of interest in the project has been high and we are very pleased with progress. We have had 38 plans approved for grant aid covering a wide range of integrated schemes to improve moorland management such as bracken control, heather re-seeding, erosion control, control of sheep grazing, livestock housing for the winter, grouse and keepering management and wetland management. Over the remaining year of the project’s life there are a further 13, 032 hectares (50 square miles) in the pipeline to be improved and protected.”

Example of a Management Plan Implemented.

Birkdale, Cumbria/Durham border
The moor is part of the Abbey Fells SSSI and is important for its extensive blanket bog, which supports a wide range of upland birds including Black Grouse. The plan will create further habitat for Black Grouse by planting native trees in gills, reduce grazing pressure on the heather in winter by providing a sheep shed for winter housing and lambing of ewes, whilst improving stock welfare. In addition a heather burning programme, in agreement with English Nature, will be implemented. The plan is expected to increase the red grouse population to provide two extra driven shooting days a year creating 180 days casual employment. A full time farming post has also been created and filled by the farmer’s daughter. The farmer’s son is the gamekeeper on the moor creating excellent co-operation and liaison between farmer and keeper.