Sphagnum Introduction in
Moorland Restoration Work
Brendon Wittram – Moors for the Future Conservation Contracts Manager
A Brief History
Start point
Photo: Mark Owen - NE
Aspiration
Photo: John Barrett - NE
Techniques
It all started with a bead
BeadaMoss – MFFP
Photo: MFFP
Further Developments in the PDNPA
BeadaGel – MFFP
Photo: MFFP
BeadaGel Applicator – Micro-Propagation
Photo: Neal Wright
Further Developments in the PDNPA
Sphagnum Clumps – RSPB
Kate Hanley
Further Developments in the PDNPA
Sphagnum Plugs (BeadaHummock) – MFFP
Photo: MFFP
Work in other areas
Sphagnum Rich Brash – North Pennines AONB
Photo: Alistair Lockett
Work in other areas
Sphagnum Fragments – Yorkshire Peat Partnership
Photo: YPP
Work in other areas
Cuspidatum Handfuls – Chat Moss
Photo: Anna Keightley
Future Developments
Grove Machine – ML2020, Geoff Eyre and Micro-Propagation
Photo - MFFP
Future Developments
Geoff Eyre’s Pellets – using sphagnum spores and BeadaCoat
(Micro-Propagation)
Photo: Neal Wright
Future Developments
Sphagnum Farming – RSPB/UU/ML2020
Photo: www.wetlands.org/russia
Success
Established Sphagnum Clumps – RSPB
Photo: MFFP
Success
Sphagnum Plugs - MFFP
Photo: MFFP
Success
Sphagnum Rich Brash – North Pennines AONB
Photo: Alistair Lockett
Success
Fragmentation
Photo: MFFP
Success
Natural Colonisation
Photo: MFFP
Common Themes
• All treatments hoped to achieve the same end goal
• Wide scale sphagnum re-introduction
• Ideas were the most suitable technique for that situation based
on
• Situation
• Available materials
• Budget
• Timescales
• Success has been achieved in the majority of treatments
• Where treatments have been less successful lessons have been
learnt and developments have been made
Where Are We Now?
• What we have:
• Wide body of knowledge and
experience
• Variety of tried and tested
techniques
• Willing group of people keen to
discuss and share experiences
• What we lack:
• Comprehensive guide of all shared
experience
Six Stages of Blanket Bog and Sphagnum
Six Stages of Blanket Bog:
• Upland Management Group (NE, EA, MA, NFU, HT, NT, RSPB, YWS
Stakeholders) have developed plan to assist moorland management
• Aim to have a guide to assess what condition you have and what you
need to do to improve the moorland condition
• Set milestones to ensure progression from unfavourable to favourable
condition
• Ultimate aim is to create a moor of sphagnum dominated vegetation
• Where there are moors without sphagnum dominance the reintroduction of sphagnum is a key part of the moorland improvement
work
MoorLIFE 2020
Sphagnum Application work:
• Factsheets to be produced by MFFP to capture the discussions of the
UMG Six Stages of Blanket Bog and offer advice based on the
discussions
• These will include references to the different sphagnum application
techniques available to suit the situation and resources of each moor
• Update and maintain the “Practitioners Guide to Sphagnum
Application” as a reference point
• Stakeholder Engagement and Demonstration Sites to inform people of
what is possible for sphagnum application
• Research and Monitoring work to continue our understanding of the
works we are all doing