Searching for wet cats
on a grouse moor
Gareth Dockerty
Gareth Dockerty discusses the intrinsic relationship between the health of a moor above ground and what’s going on below the surface.
I have been keen to take part in some peatland survey work for a while.
Peatlands are the UK’s largest carbon store, often on land that features grouse shooting. Above ground, these landscapes give home to some of the UK’s most threatened habitats and species.
Mapping the relationship between the vegetation above ground and the peat stored below is a key conservation objective. Understanding the correlation between the two is important for our climate emergency and to ensure we tackle biodiversity loss.
Wet cats
I have written previously about the evolving role of the gamekeeper as a carbon custodian or conservation manager. It is vital that the shooting community is part of the solution to peatland conservation and restoration.
To this end, I recently had the chance to join Ellen Sheilds to undertake some peatland survey work for Yorkshire Peat Partnership in the North York Moors, on a very damp and misty morning.
Sphagnum mosses are an important part of peatland habitats. They hold huge amounts of water and help new peat layers accumulate, locking in more carbon from the atmosphere into the ground, thus helping fight climate change. The trouble with sphagnum is that at first glance they look similar, and there are a lot of varieties.
We are often told that wetter is better for peatlands, so finding a sphagnum species that likes to be very wet or submerged in water helps identify wet areas of peatland storing lots of carbon.
Up steps sphagnum cuspidatum – a key indicator of deep peat or blanket bogs. The good news is that I was told it looks just like wet cat fur so is quite easy to spot.
Sure enough, when you do pull a bit out the water and you see that familiar wet cat fur look. This is certainly a sphagnum species I will never forget how to identify.
Why is peat depth important?
For land managers, the depth of peat impacts the potential land management options. On deep peat (over 40cm in England) you need a new Defra burning licence before any vegetation burns can be undertaken. Knowing the peat depth also allows you to identify areas where restoration and rewetting management could be undertaken.
Yorkshire Peat Partnership map the vegetation, take peat depth measurements, and then use the information to prioritise practical restoration, working with landowners and partner organisations. This is part of an ongoing process for grouse moors, with restoration work being undertaken over the past 40 years.
A partnership approach
My morning on the moor was spent pushing a pole into the ground and testing the peat depth. However, I achieved a lot more than just a decent workout.
It was a chance to discuss the key issues and challenges around upland management while gauging what the perception of grouse moor management is with a conservation partner organisation. As is so often the case, we have more in common than divides us. We all want to see our peatlands in a healthy condition to deliver for people and nature. The great news is that this can also produce a sustainable surplus of grouse.
I would encourage any gamekeeper or grouse moor owner to spend a few hours doing the same thing. It can only be beneficial to improve our individual knowledge and ensure that we build lasting partnerships.
Thank you to Ellen for putting up with me for the morning and showing me how the surveys are undertaken, and for your willingness to debate upland conservation and work with the shooting community.
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