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Volunteers plant 2,000 Sphagnum Mosses to restore Ilkley Moor blanket bog

Friday, 23 January 2026 13:08

[Photos: Friends of Ilkley Moor]

Thirty volunteers joined The Friends of Ilkley Moor, Bradford Council and Moors for the Future for a hands-on conservation day planting sphagnum moss plug plants on Ilkley Moor.

Despite rain and winds, the group walked from the Cow and Calf car park to the restoration site 40 minutes away, and as well as planting 2,000 sphagnum moss plug plants, participants learnt about blanket bog habitats and the restoration of these.

A spokesperson said:

"Blanket bog is generally defined by the depth of the peat cover (usually >0.4m) and the fact that it is directly fed by rainfall. It is formed due to the very slow decomposition of plant material under conditions of waterlogging – ultimately forming peat.

"‘Active’ blanket bog is a term used to define those areas which are still supporting a significant area of vegetation that is peat forming (eg. Sphagnum mosses and cotton grasses). Active blanket bog is a UK priority habitat for conservation."

The Friends of Ilkley Moor is a local charity group who work with partners to preserve and improve understanding and awareness of Ilkley Moor. Moors for the Future is a partnership restoring and conserving our moorlands so that they are beneficial for people, better for wildlife and more resilient. Bradford Council works in partnership with community groups and environmental organisations to manage and restore the district’s natural assets.

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