MAKING SPACE FOR WATER CONFERENCE
Restoration of blanket bogs; flood risk reduction and other benefits
23 April 2015, University of Manchester, Renold Building
Michael Pilkington
Moors for the Future Partnership
Restoration and re-vegetation, diversity and erosion potential (POC)
The Making space for Water project area on the North Edge of Kinder was restored in 2011.
Since then, annual vegetation surveys have recorded the changing cover of plant species and
bare peat. This data is now presented along with its effect on erosion potential and trajectories
toward Favourable Condition. Over a four year period, bare peat cover was reduced by more
than 80%, there is an increasing cover of Blanket bog indicator species and there has been a
substantial and significant reduction in particulate peat held in suspension in gully flow.
However, the onward trajectory toward Favourable Condition may present future management
challenges with regards to the dominant cover of Calluna and Deschampsia flexuosa.