About Exmoor Mires
Working with farmers, land owners and interested parties to help block drainage ditches across Exmoor for long-term biodiversity, water and sustainability.
Exmoor Mires Description
Over several decades the peat on the upland mires of Exmoor has been dug up for various reasons. Generations of peat cutting for fuel and the creation of drainage ditches from Victorian times onwards have caused the mires to dry out. This reduces the water-holding capacity of the moors.
In addition, the British Isles hold 20% of the Worlds blanket bogs. They are an extremely important resource as they store green house gases (GHG’s) locked up as carbon in the peat. If the peat is exposed through cutting or ditch creation, oxidation occurs, i. e. the peat breaks down and releases the stored gases as Carbon dioxide. Whereas a 'healthy' bog accumulates carbon and absorbs Carbon Dioxide from the atmosphere, a dysfunctional mire will significantly add to global warming through release of GHG’s.
The focus of the Exmoor Mires project is to block drainage ditches using sustainable and local materials in order to 're-wet' the bog. This will enable longer water retention in the hills and a slower release of water into the River Exe, helping to sustain base flows.
Slower flows means reduced soil erosion and less peat and silt entering rivers. In addition, fewer reservoirs will need to be created for future increases in population if the moors can be used for water storage instead.
Water carrying less silt is up to 20% less expensive to treat, requiring fewer chemicals and carbon to turn it into our top quality tap water. This will have a knock-on-effect as fewer water purifying plants will need to be built. This in turn may help to reduce future water bills increases.
As a species, humans are only just beginning to realise that the Earth is not a finite resource. It is a careful balance of many complex parts and we must work with those parts to achieve the best results. The Exmoor Mires project aims to be a part of this, through doing works as well as educating and involving the most important cog of the machine – the farmers and people who live and work in the area as they are the ones who will continue this work and manage the land for generations into the future.
Reviews
Shoulsbury Castle, Brayford and Challacombe, Exmoor. Iron-Age hillfort. Recorded as unfinished. Can't be sure why it was never completed; perhaps a squad of Roman soldiers marched up the hill, prompting the locals to hide their shovels and slope away?
Exmoor National Park
Hare's tail cotton grass (Eriophorum vaginatum) beginning to emerge on #Exmoor, it won't be long until we see the familiar sea of white fluff on the peatlands!
#Exmoormires #peatlands South West Water Exmoor National Park
New pools created in a formerly fast-flowing valley mire ditch on one of our Bodmin Moor sites, holding lots of water and providing lovely wader and dragonfly habitats!
More Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) funded works 😃 CCornwall AONBWWestcountry Rivers TrustSSouth West Water
It's been a moody (weather-wise...) couple of days out on #Exmoor! I think we had sun, hail and snow within the space of an hour.
All in a day of mire restoration work - 13km and a route like a tangled ball of string!
One of the team overseeing the contractors on an #Exmoor site mapped their day on Strava, just for fun... The distance is hard going over tussocky and boggy ground!
#Strava #Exmoormires #peatlands GRT Countryside Care Ltd. South West Water Exmoor National Park
Storm Gareth meant work stopped play on the moors but always a bright side, saw some lovely Bog Beacon.
Really interesting day showing and talking through with EA and DNPA staff all the work we do.
I think the sun came out somewhere today but not on Dartmoor! For you shallow peat Exmoor folk check out this lovely buttery peat of Dartmoor! Well done to everybody for a great week.
A couple more shots of the willow bunding across the valley where we've reinstated the headwater of the river Quarme. Holding up all kinds of sediment and forming lovely pools!
#Exmoormires #Exmoor South West Water #peatlands
Making the most of the sunshine on a site visit to a mire site which will be undergoing peatland restoration soon. Some lovely mire habitat there already, including colourful sphagnum and crowberry; loads of frogspawn and a brief appearance from some deer.
#Exmoor #peatlands South West Water Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) #Exmoormires
A good morning showing fellow conservationists around a recent #mire restoration site on #Exmoor where we have used willow blocks at the top of the combe.
#Exmoormires #DEFRA Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) #peatlands South West Water
Dartmoor and Exmoor peatland restoration happening at the same time again! Great work everybody!
The last couple days we've been unable to get out onto site, but these pics are from Wednesday, when the snow properly starting falling! Note the frozen pool behind the recently made block (already!). An awesome view from the edge of Dunkery.
#Exmoor #mires #peatlands #DEFRA @DefraGovUK @SouthWestWater #Exmoormires
Below is a link to the Historic Environment edition of the IUCN Peatland newsletter - featuring an article by the Partnership's HE Officer Martin. #peatlands #mires #Exmoor #SouthWestPeatlandPartnership Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) South West Water
https://mailchi.mp/…/iucn-uk-peatland-p rogramme-newsletter-…
At Park Pit taking the diggers out yesterday afternoon - the blocks there are holding back some serious quantities of water already! Clouds of snipe flushing from the new pools, really great to see 😃
Early risers, work begins at sun rise and 2.5deg C...brr!
GRT Countryside Care Ltd and CJGray staff explaining to all how peatland restoration actually gets done. Thanks to all for a great site visit!