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How can the Mire Restoration Project help if you are a moorland owner?

The Exmoor Mire Restoration Project is able to fund the restoration of peat bogs on Exmoor as a result of the financial support it receives from its partners.

If you are a moorland owner and interested in the project the details are simple:

  • We consider carrying out restoration on any area of boggy moorland which has been drained in the past.
  • The Project Officer will carry out a full survey of your moorland to assess its restoration potential and what methods and materials will be required for restoration.
  • The Project Officer will then draw up a full set of restoration plans for your moorland if there is potential for restoration on the site. There is no charge for these plans and they will be given to you for your consideration.
  • If you are in the ESA scheme and have an existing works Conservation Plan we will work with Natural England to revise the existing plan or write a new one for the area concerned.
  • For land in an ESA scheme Natural England will be able to fund the restoration work at the standard 80% rate, providing you are eligible for a Conservation Plan ( e.g. not within the last two years of your agreement). The Mire project will then be able to fund the remaining 20%. This means that the restoration work will not cost individual land owners anything.
  • For land in a HLS scheme the Natural England the restoration grant rate is currently 80%. It is likely the Mire Project will be able to fund the remaining 20% and the restoration work will not cost individual land owners anything.
  • If you decide to go ahead with the restoration work it is up to the individual to decide how this is carried out. All work can be done by experienced contractors or the land owner can decide to do the work themselves (or a combination of both).
  • The Project Officer is able to offer full support to land owner in the finalisation of the plans, the tendering of contracts, management of the project etc.
  • While the work is taking place the Project Officer will be available in a supporting role to oversee all the restoration. This will ensure that the work achieves its restoration aims.

As the Mire restoration project is largely funded by a private business (SWW) it is able to top up any Natural England funding of restoration projects to 100% so there is no cost to individuals who want to be involved in the project. There are other advantages to moorland owners also:

  • The project is able to pay the landowner for carrying out the restoration work so this can be used to provide income to the farm business.
  • Heather and moorland grass bales are used in the restoration work and there is the opportunity to source these in undergrazed and tussocky parts of the moorland, particularly if these areas are close to the restoration sites. This will re-invigorate undergrazed areas, provide fresh grazing and help to reduce the dominance of Purple Moor Grass (Molinia), and avoid the need to burn these areas.
  • The project will block up any deep drains and ditches on the site which may be a danger to animals. The dams will create natural crossing points across the ditches. The pools created by rewetting are not deep as the space behind will be filled with moorland bales to create a safe environment for stock and people.
  • The biggest noticeable effect of the restoration work will be higher water tables in the summer (in winter there will be no noticeable effect on land which is already saturated). This will help to provide summer water for stock in areas which currently dry out.
  • Involvement in the project will enable landowners to meet the ditch blocking requirements of their ESA Moorland Management Plans and where this has been specified as a requirement in SSSIs by Natural England. Where changes are needed to the moorland grazing regime in order to help with the condition of the vegetation the Mire project will be able to work with the land owner in getting this organised.
  • For landowners who are thinking about switching to the new Environmental Stewardship Schemes and in particular the Higher Level Scheme (HLS), having Mire Project restoration work begun or completed on your moorland will be a real bonus when Natural England are considering your application.
  • Rewetted and restored moorland has a more diverse plant mix than the dry areas which tend to be dominated by Purple Moor Grass. In this way rewetting can add to the plants available to grazing animals, particularly during the period outside summer when Purple Moor Grass has little or no forage value.

Project aims

The aim of the Mire Restoration Project is sustainable moorland use for agriculture, wildlife and people. Restored and re-wetted moorland is healthy diverse moorland with a mix of wetter and dry areas.

  • Restoration creates new habitat for wildlife but it does not lead to a flooded landscape.
  • Restored moorland is still requires agricultural animals for grazing, and rewetting does not create conditions unsuitable for animals.
  • Re-wetting retains rainfall on the moorland in ditches and pools in order that it is available during dryer periods for the plants and animals on the moor.