Join the restoration team from the South West Peatland Partnership (SWPP) at Tor Royal Bog, an unusual and very ecologically significant site, for a guided walk and tour of recently completed peatland restoration works.
Tor Royal Bog is significant as a relatively intact raised bog - arguably the only example in the South West - and with areas of peat over 6m deep. It also supports a very special assemblage of bog plants including a variety of beautiful Sphagnum mosses.
The site, like much of the South West's peatlands, has been subject to historic drainage, agricultural reclamation efforts, and domestic peat cutting, all of which have damaged the special habitats on site and are contributing to ongoing erosion and habitat degradation. The SWPP is working to reverse these impacts, raise and stabilise the water table, restore carbon-capturing ecosystem function, and build habitat resilience to climate change.
Join the project team for the morning who will explain what a raised bog is, how it functions, how it can be restored and conserved, and what special species are found here. The site also has an unusual cultural history linked to the development of Princetown and the Prison which will be shared.
Meet at the National Park Visitors Centre, Princetown at 0930 to lift share to the site, with an aim to be back at the Visitors Centre for 1300.
WELLIES BOOTS AND WET WEATHER GEAR ESSENTIAL!
PLEASE NOTE: This site is a very recent restoration site with both soft and uneven ground conditions, and the visit is recommended for the sure-footed among you!
SWPP is funded by Natural England, South West Water, Duchy Of Cornwall, National Trust, and the Environment Agency, and is a collective of organisations working with landowners, commoners, farmers, contractors, volunteers and local interest groups to make a positive difference to the future of Exmoor, Dartmoor and Cornwall's peatlands.
www.southwestpeatlandpartnership.co.uk
