A Bog's Life

On the edge of Little Woolden Moss there is a patch of dried out, degraded peat. The project team aim to transform this into a living, breathing, educational bog. This discovery area will give visitors from the local community and beyond an insight into the formation of peatlands, what they can look like when they are cared for, and the consequences of not caring for this vital habitat. 11,648 m² of green space will be created here, carefully planted with 10,000 plants of specialist species such as Common Cotton Grass and Sphagnum mosses, to create demonstration plots of 7 different habitats, each highlighting a different stage in a bog's life. The transformation of these areas will be carried out by volunteers in a series of sessions open to all who are interested, giving members of the community the opportunity to get hands on involvement with the project.

A 1,280m² area of lowland wet heath at the central entrance to the moss will be enhanced with the planting of pollinator friendly plants, creating a bright, colourful first impression to visitors and a haven for wildlife.

Each habitat will have an interpretation board explaining the science behind what you can see, and what wildlife you will find there, and a series of walks with different local groups will highlight how close the nature reserve is to the community, encouraging new visitors.