Moorland and moorland fringe: facts and figures

Habitat types found in moorland areas

The table below lists the broad habitat types that are found in moorland and moorland fringe areas of the Yorkshire Dales National Park with the total area of the National Park each type covers and the importance of each one in terms of biodiversity.

A larger version of this table can be downloaded in the Document downloads box.

Heath communities are usually dominated by dwarf shrubs such as heather and bilberry and occur on acidic soils or thin well-drained peat. In the National Park they have an eastern distribution with the main areas being the moors between Wensleydale, Swaledale and Arkengarthdale and in the south-east on Barden Moor and Fell. Smaller areas occur on Caldbergh and Melmerby Moors around Coverdale. Bogs are generally associated with deeper peat formations virtually all of which occur as blanket bog in the National Park. It is widely distributed in the uplands of the Yorkshire Dales with the most extensive areas at Swaledale Head, Langstrothdale Chase, between Whernside and Fountains Fell, and in the east from Buckden Pike to Appletreewick Moor. This corresponds to altitudes greater than 300m high within the Yoredale and Millstone Grit areas of the Park. Lowland raised bogs are very rare in the National Park with only two large examples at Tarn Moss near Malham and Swarth Moor in Ribblesdale. Acidic grassland is the most extensive habitat in the uplands of the Yorkshire Dales National Park occurring throughout the moorland and moorland fringe areas. Acidic grassland would normally be associated with the more freely draining nutrient poor soils in the east of the Park but a long history of grazing has gradually eliminated the dwarf shrubs from typical heaths and grass dominated habitats have become widespread over the Dales. Acidic flushes are often associated with the wetter acidic grasslands. Woodland and scrub are scarce in upland areas being mainly restricted to the moorland fringe and gill sides. Bracken is also associated with these areas. Open water habitats are scarce in the uplands although there are a number of small acid tarns and a number of water storage reservoirs. There is also a history of mining in the uplands which has left a legacy of mine shafts, levels and associated buildings together with extensive areas of lead contaminated spoil. The most extensive areas of spoil occur on the hills between Swaledale and Arkengarthdale with smaller areas between Swaledale and Wensleydale and in the area of Bolton and Whitaside Moors. A substantial amount of spoil also occurs in the south-east of the Park on Grassington, Appletreewick and Craven Moors.

National and international biodiversity importance

The following table (downloadable in the Document downloads box) lists the national and international importance of moorland and moorland fringe habitats in the Yorkshire Dales National Park:

Current issues, opportunities & threats to moorland and moorland fringe biodiversity

It is widely recognised that the biodiversity value of moorland habitats has been retained in many areas due to the management of moors for red grouse shooting. Where moorland was not used for red grouse shooting, grazing pressure and winter feeding practices have lead to a decline in many habitats, with heath and blanket bog declining to species poor acid grassland. Some past activities associated with grouse moor management, such as moorland drainage and burning of blanket bog also lead to a decline in biodiversity. Intensive burning programmes have also lead to a dominance of heather at the expense of other less tolerant dwarf shrub species. In recent times, however, grouse moor owners have been working closely with conservation organisations and are actively blocking grips, promoting woodland management and tree planting and agreeing to reduced burning in some areas of the moor to benefit a wider range of species. Some of this work has been encouraged through incentives from environmental land management schemes such as the Environmental Stewardship Scheme and other previous schemes for example, the Countryside Stewardship, Environmentally Sensitive Areas and Wildlife Enhancement Schemes. These schemes are now all administered by Natural England. In addition, a great deal has been carried out by the moorland owners themselves.

As with much of the National Park, the increase in sheep grazing levels over the last 50 years has lead to a decline in biodiversity. More recently, however, the decline in biodiversity in moorland and moorland fringe habitats has slowed and even reversed as a result of more sustainable management carried out by farmers again using incentives from environmental land management schemes such as the Environmental Stewardship Scheme and other previous schemes for example, the Countryside Stewardship, Environmentally Sensitive Areas and Wildlife Enhancement Schemes. The wet moorland fringe habitats of importance to breeding waders would benefit from a reversion to mixed farming as grazing with cattle is preferable in these areas. As with the limestone country, incentives need to be targeted to encourage farmers in moorland fringe areas to restore the balance between non-intensive cattle farming and sheep production.

Global atmospheric pollution has lead to a decline in bog-moss habitats in the Yorkshire Dales. It is hoped that global reductions in atmospheric pollutants will, in the long-term, lead to recovery of moorland habitats.

Woodland and scrub habitats in the moorland and moorland fringe areas of the National Park have declined as a result of a combination of neglect, inappropriate management and grazing pressure from livestock and rabbits. This decline is being reversed through the use of incentives to landowners such as the Woodland Grant Scheme administered by the Forestry Commission and grants from the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust. Other moorland habitats have been lost due to extensive conifer planting in some areas. These plantations are reaching their first harvest and opportunities exist to restructure these plantations to benefit a range of wildlife including red squirrels and black grouse.

The continued decline in breeding populations of black grouse and wading birds associated with moorland and moorland fringe habitats remains a significant concern and continued co-operation between land managers and conservation organisations will be vital if this decline is to be addressed.

Rabbit numbers have increased considerably and have reached or even exceeded pre-myxamatosis levels leading to species loss in moorland and moorland fringe habitats through grazing pressure. There is currently little rabbit control taking place except in circumstances where woodland planting or management schemes have been agreed.

In recognition of the national and international importance of moorland habitats of the Yorkshire Dales for breeding birds the majority of the most important habitats have been designated as part of the North Pennines Moors Special Protection Area under European Birds Directive. This designation will lead to better protection of important habitats through legislation and co-operative working with land owners and managers.

Increased use of moorland for recreation can be ecologically damaging due to footpath erosion together with disturbance to wildlife particularly during the breeding season. There are, however, considerable benefits in enabling managed access to the countryside for the full cross-section of the human community as it provides an opportunity to educate and raise awareness of biodiversity and countryside issues. Conserving biodiversity is very dependent on the support of a well-informed human community with a sense of belonging and a genuine involvement in the process.