All about the Natural History and History of the Northwest of England
(Excerpt) The concept of rewilding seeks to restore self-sustaining ecosystems by reducing intensive human management, reintroducing key species or processes, and allowing natural dynamics greater play.
In the densely populated and long-managed landscape of Britain the concept has evolved from a niche conservation theory into a mainstream yet polarising approach, generating disputes over land-use, rural livelihoods, biodiversity outcomes, and, most recently, wildfire risk.
(Excerpt) As July draws to a close across the moors our upland gamekeepers find themselves in the thick of one of their busiest and most critical periods. With The Glorious Twelfth fast approaching their work shifts from protecting nesting birds to assessing populations and preparing for what can be a time of make-or-break for the upland shoot.
Saddleworth moor has a troubled history with wildfires. The most notorious occurred in 2018, when a major blaze, exacerbated by a prolonged heatwave and possibly sparked by arson or discarded cigarettes, burned for weeks, destroying thousands of acres, releasing massive carbon emissions, and prompting a major incident declaration which required military assistance.
For the Upland Gamekeeper spring is a season of intense activity, a critical time of fast change at the fulcrum between the wild & windy months of winter and the more benign months of summer, when the moors become vibrant with life.
OF all the blithesome melody that wakes the warm heart’s thrill, give me the wind that whistles free across the moorland hill; When every blade upon the lea is dancing with delight, and every bush and flower and tree is singing in its flight.
In December 2023, the Forest of Bowland National Landscape (formerly the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) published its Nature Recovery Plan, a 71-page roadmap with the stated aims of reversing biodiversity declines and building climate resilience across 310 square miles of Lancashire and Yorkshire uplands.
In spring the hill becomes alive with birdsong as smaller birds come into their own, high above, unseen in Pendle’s famous mists, Skylark and Meadow Pipit trill, from a lone Rowan an Ouzel whistles and from the Gorse you may hear the unusual yet unmistakeable call of the Stonechat.
Sphagnum moss belongs to the genus Sphagnum, comprising over 30 species in the British Isles, many of which can be very challenging to distinguish.
Northwest Nature and History