Peak District moors undergoes restoration
26 February 2010
Houndkirk Moor, in the eastern Peak District moors is set to be restored to its former glory, thanks to funding by Natural England, Sheffield City Council and the National Grid.
The moor, part of the Eastern Peak District Moors Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), the South Pennine Moors Special Area of Conservation and the Peak District Moors Special Protection Area, is to undergo restoration following continued damage to the area.
Highly valued on both a national and international scale, the landscape is home to a variety of heathland habitats and their associated birds and animals.
The moor is crossed by Houndkirk Road, a Byway Open to All Traffic (BOAT), and a high pressure gas main. Years of damage as a result of road users coming away from the BOAT route, has meant that Natural England, who spearheaded the project, Sheffield City Council, who own the land, and National Grid, who will oversee work around the gas pipeline, will work together to repair the inflicted damage.
The Moors for the Future partnership will manage the work on the moor, which involves fencing, re-profiling the eroded gullies and re-seeding the moorland habitats and the ground above the high pressure gas main. Heather seeds from the adjacent moors will be used to reseed the soil and peat.
South Yorkshire Police will monitor the area whilst restoration takes place and the Peak District National Park will work towards raising public awareness of the site and the correct legal use of the BOAT to ensure that such damage will not be repeated.
Felicité Dodd, Natural England Land Management & Conservation Adviser said: “Houndkirk Moor is a very popular part of the Peak District and this joint venture will demonstrate that these moorlands are integral to its landscape. We do not want to see the enjoyment of the moor by the majority, spoilt by the actions of a minority.”
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Notes to editors:
For further information, please email Charlene Kumar, Natural England Communications Advisor, or call 0300 060 2828.
To find out more about SSSIs, visit this section
of our website. For further information about SACs, visit this area of our website.
South Yorkshire Police will be monitoring Houndkirk Moor as part of Operation Blackbrook, an initiative to clamp down on illegal 'off-road' use in the Peak District.
Visit the Peak District National Park Authority’s (PDNPA) website to learn about the responsible use of byways and other country tracks. PDNPA also provide a publication On the Right Track which provides information on the correct routes for road users.
About Natural England
Natural England works for people, places and nature to conserve and enhance biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban, coastal and marine areas. We conserve and enhance the natural environment for its intrinsic value, the wellbeing and enjoyment of people, and the economic prosperity it brings.
For more information on Moors for the Future and what they do, visit their website.
