The Sphagnum Saga: How Our Moorland Is Being Failed
- Rob Beeson
- Jan 30
- 7 min read
Updated: Mar 19
The current approach to moorland management, particularly the mandated sphagnum inoculation, is not achieving its intended conservation goals. It is not only costing landowners and taxpayers substantial sums of money, but also failing to deliver meaningful environmental benefits.
The evidence presented in this independent review indicates a need for a more nuanced, science-based approach that takes into account the specific conditions of each site and the wealth of experience that exists with land managers.
The focus should be on collaboration, long-term sustainability, and a deep understanding of the complex ecosystems that make our moorlands so valuable. The goal is to create a management approach that ensures these precious landscapes can thrive for generations to come.
The current approach seems to be driven by a need for quick visible results in a more emotive manner, without considering the long term costs and benefits.
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The Failing "Blanket Approach": A One-Size-Fits-All Strategy Gone Wrong
For many years, the preferred method of moorland management involved the practice of controlled burning of heather and grasses. This method, traditionally employed by experienced gamekeepers, offered several benefits, including a vital reduction of vegetative fuel load, thereby minimizing the risk of devastating summer wildfires.
This also enabled the fast regeneration of a diverse dwarf shrub sward, promoting rapid carbon capture and providing a high-nutrition food source for wild moorland species and farmed animals.
Furthermore, the removal of dense heather canopies allowed crucial light penetration to the ground, fostering the growth of mosses and lichens, and creating a mosaic of different vegetation heights which is ideal for ground-nesting birds.
However, recent environmental regulations, notably the Heather and Grass Etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021, have placed restrictions on burning, specifically targeting deep peat areas (deeper than 40cm) within Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), and Special Protection Areas (SPAs).
In specific cases, burning may be permitted via a license from the Secretary of State, but this is primarily to prevent further damage by burning in protected blanket bog habitats. These restrictions have led to cutting becoming the primary method for heather control in many areas, often with stringent conditions attached.
In some places Natural England has mandated sphagnum inoculation as a required practice in these cut zones over SSSI deep peat areas.
This approach is not universally applied, with moors in different regions not required to plant sphagnum.
The independent review reveals that this blanket approach to sphagnum planting is largely failing, resulting in financial waste and limited ecological benefits.
The Promise of Sphagnum: Why It Matters (in the Right Conditions)
Sphagnum moss, often referred to as peat moss, is a truly remarkable plant with unique characteristics. When it thrives, it creates sponge-like hummocks that offer numerous environmental benefits.
Water Storage: Sphagnum can store over 20 times its own weight in water, acting as a natural water reservoir and helping to regulate water flow.
Carbon Sequestration: Living sphagnum has substantial carbon sequestration capabilities, trapping carbon and eventually forming part of the deep peat itself.
Biodiversity: Sphagnum is a key component of moorland biodiversity and habitat, supporting a range of other species.
However, the critical point is that sphagnum requires very specific environmental conditions to thrive, namely wet, acidic environments. These conditions are not always present in the areas where inoculation is being mandated.
The Reality of Sphagnum Inoculation: A Dismal Record of Failure
The review presents compelling evidence from case studies across three different moors in the Peak District, demonstrating that sphagnum inoculation is not achieving its intended results.
Alarmingly Low Success Rates: Across the sites, the success rate of planted sphagnum plugs ranges from a dismal 30% to less than 1%.
Stunted Growth: Surviving plugs exhibit minimal growth, far below the rates claimed by organizations seeking funding.
Unsuitable Landscapes: The sites where sphagnum is being planted are not naturally waterlogged, without sufficient water the plant will die.
Lack of Follow-Up: Natural England often imposes the sphagnum planting requirement without conducting prior site visits or follow-up checks to assess the suitability of the conditions.
Case Studies: A Closer Look at Three Moorland Failures
The report details the situations on three moors, illustrating the consistent ineffectiveness of the sphagnum inoculation policy.
Woodhead & Snailsden
On this historical moor, 360,000 sphagnum plugs have been planted over six years at a minimum cost of £360,000, not including labour and other expenses. Despite this substantial investment, the results are underwhelming.
In wetter areas where sphagnum is already present, only around 30% of planted plugs have survived, with that percentage dropping further in subsequent years. In drier areas, the success rate is less than 1%, with many plugs being impossible to locate. Surviving plugs show minimal growth, not even close to the five to tenfold increase per year that is claimed on funding websites.
Headkeeper Jim Sutton has observed a significant loss of biodiversity, including the decline of rare cotton grasses, due to the lack of traditional heather management practices. He also notes the lack of fire breaks and the increasing wildfire risk.
Mossy Lea
Despite successful heathland restoration, the required sphagnum planting here has experienced a 100% failure rate. The land is naturally draining, making it unsuitable for sphagnum.
Headkeeper Josh Bailey is restricted by the amount of heather that can be cut and burnt, further exacerbating the fire risk. He explains that the cost of the sphagnum exercise was over £1,500 and that the land is too hard and naturally draining for the moss to survive.
Howden Moor
This site was once a shining example of successful moorland restoration. However, under new management that favors rewilding and rewetting, it has experienced a shocking and dramatic decline in wildlife numbers.
Geoff Eyre, an award-winning ecologist and conservationist who previously managed the moor, has witnessed firsthand the failure of sphagnum inoculation and the significant increase in wildfire risk. He argues that heather is a better carbon sequestering plant than sphagnum, and has the data to back it up.
He explains that after weighing a square meter of fully dried out, eight year old sphagnum, it only weighed 250g. Whereas the adjacent eight year old heather weighed 3kg, and even when burnt, still retained 2.5kg of carbonated stalks. He also highlights the lack of firebreaks, with dry grasses and overgrown vegetation creating a significant fire hazard.
He notes that the current methods are very expensive, costing some areas £100k per hectare, for minimal long term benefit, whereas other methods he has used in the past are considerably more effective, and much cheaper.
The Core Issues: A Flawed Approach
Several critical issues are contributing to the widespread failure of the current approach:
Lack of Consideration for Local Conditions: Natural England is not taking into account the specific conditions of each landscape when prescribing sphagnum inoculation. The suitability of the land is not assessed prior to the requirement for sphagnum planting, which is a crucial factor for its survival.
Inappropriate Planting Methods: The standard practice of planting sphagnum plugs in dry areas, with no measures taken to ensure water retention, is fundamentally flawed.
Restrictions on Heather Management: Strict cutting regulations and the ban on burning prevent effective moorland management. These restrictions have contributed to an increase in uncontrolled heather growth, which is a substantial fire risk.
Financial Waste: The practice of planting sphagnum plugs at a cost of £1 per plug for minimal results is a huge waste of resources.
Misleading Claims: The claims of high sphagnum growth rates and carbon capture effectiveness are often exaggerated by organizations seeking funding for these methods.
The Urgent Need for Change: A Call for a More Balanced Approach
The review concludes that the current blanket approach to sphagnum inoculation is not working and is costing a great deal of money for minimal to no reward. The report advocates for a more scientifically guided, adaptable management strategy that takes into account the specific needs and conditions of each moorland ecosystem.
Proactive and Flexible Management: Landowners and land managers need greater flexibility to manage vegetation effectively, which includes controlled burning and cutting, based on their experience and the unique needs of the landscape.
A More Scientific Approach: There needs to be a move away from the current "one-size-fits-all" method, towards a more precise and scientifically guided approach to sphagnum planting, where the suitability of the land is taken into account.
Cost-Effective Solutions: It is crucial to consider other cheaper and more effective methods for revegetating the moors. This also includes the use of moss spores to sow and capsulate the prepared ground to improve the germination rate of heathland species which has proven effective and much cheaper.
Long-Term Sustainability: Management plans should focus on long-term ecological benefits and not just short-term, visible results. The focus should be on overall ecosystem health rather than a single target species.
Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing: Landowners and governing bodies must work together to find solutions that balance conservation goals with practical realities. There needs to be a better recognition of local knowledge and a willingness to adapt management strategies based on long-term outcomes.
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