Mossdale

This site is the smallest in scale with each sub-catchment covering about 10 ha of blanket bog. It is E facing and located at about 380 m a.s.l. The site is the wettest site and is mostly covered by heather-dominated blanket bog with considerable sedge and Sphagnum presence in places and some extensive rush coverage in the lower stream sections. Peat is mostly intact and of a depth of mostly about 1.5 m. However, there is some localised erosion, particularly along the steeper slopes. The site shows the highest density of past drainage ditches (from the 1960/70s), which have mostly been naturally infilled. Elsewhere the site has undergone restoration with filling in all remaining ditches in 2014/15.

The site has been under long-term burn rotation in both sub-catchments.

The catchment is part of a private shooting estate.

Mossdale adjacent control (right) and treamtent (left) sub-catchments

Below:

Shown are the Control (burnt) and Treatment (mown) catchments with the management areas (burn and mown polygons) - management was done in 2013 - 2015 - 2018 - 2021.