Controlled Burning Can Result in Higher Sphagnum Moss Cover

Geoff Eyre's pioneering moorland habitat restoration work, which he likens to "gardening on a grand scale", has yielded some outstanding results over the past 30+ years. Geoff's images below confirm what scientific studies have found - that controlled burning can increase moss cover.

One study shows that Sphagnum moss cover can be significantly higher in areas burned eight to ten years prior compared to unburned areas, suggesting that burning at regular intervals can favor Sphagnum by reducing competition from heather.