14 AUSHAW MOSS RESTORATION
AUSHAW MOSS RESTORATION
Restoration work at Aushaw Moss is helping to return degraded peatland to a healthy, functioning ecosystem, using natural water management techniques to improve biodiversity, reduce carbon emissions and strengthen the landscape’ s resilience to flooding and wildfire.
Across the uplands of Lancashire, peatland restoration is gathering pace as conservation organisations work to reverse decades of habitat degradation. At Aushaw Moss, restoration forms part of a wider programme to rewet damaged peatlands, restoring their ability to store carbon, support wildlife and regulate water across the landscape.
Healthy peatlands are among the UK’ s most valuable natural habitats. Blanket bogs store significant quantities of carbon, provide habitat for specialist plants and birds, and slow the movement of water through upland catchments. However, historic drainage, grazing pressure, erosion and wildfire have left many peatland sites in a degraded condition, reducing their ecological value and increasing carbon emissions.
The restoration approach at Aushaw Moss centres on raising the water table to recreate the naturally wet conditions that peat-forming vegetation requires. Rather than relying on engineered drainage systems, the work uses landscape-scale interventions to retain water on the moor for longer, allowing the habitat to begin its gradual recovery.
One of the principal techniques employed is the construction of peat bunds. These compressed peat barriers are installed across areas where drainage has lowered water levels, slowing the movement of water and creating shallow pools that encourage the return of bog-forming vegetation. As water levels recover, species such as purple moor grass become less dominant, allowing characteristic blanket bog plants to re-establish themselves.
The restoration programme also incorporates ditch blocking using peat, timber and stone dams. These structures reduce the speed at which water leaves the
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