NW Groundwork have been working with the National Trust in two key areas on Holcombe Moor.
The Stubbins Estate and Holcombe Moor is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest, which was gifted to the National Trust by Colonel Austin Townsend Porritt for public access and pleasure.
Moorland Fencing
Holcombe Moor is of great value as a place of recreation, and as part of the National Trust plans to make the area more accessible for those living in nearby urban areas, NW Groundwork were commissioned to repair and install walls and fencing on the moor, helping to protect wildlife sensitive to disturbance.
Peatland Restoration
Holcombe's moorland is a precious environment where blanket bog has formed over 6,000 years, leading to an accumulation of peat that is as deep as three metres in some areas.
However, air pollution, the impact of the Industrial Revolution and other environmental pressures such as erosion, have have brought significant damage to the peat surface.
Together with the Moors for the Future Partnership, Natural England and the Holcombe Moor Commoners’ Association, and with support from DEFRA’s Moor Carbon fund, a new programme of important work began in 2020 to improve Holcombe Moor peatland.
As part of the peat restoration, NW Groundwork used excavation methods to create bunds and pools in select areas on behalf of the National Trust, to help reduce the free flow of water across the moorland plateau.
Find out more about the Stubbins Estate and Holcombe Moor
Stubbins Estate, Holcombe Moor and the Peel Tower are part of the West Pennine Moors, much loved by walkers from nearby Bury and Greater Manchester. There are acres of wooded hillside, farmland and Pennine moorland ready for you to explore, with views reaching as far as Wales on a clear day.
Holcombe Moor is part of the West Pennine Moors in Lancashire. Find out how we're working to restore its precious peat to protect local communities from flooding, reduce carbon in the atmosphere and improve habitats for wildlife.
Comments