The Mosses in a Nutshell
The Marches Mosses is a rare and precious habitat, full of life, a weapon in the fight against the climate crisis and an antidote to the stresses of modern life.
![Restored bog](https://themeresandmosses.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Whixall-Moss-4-by-Tim-Walter-comp-1024x305.jpg)
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- The Mosses cover 2,500 acres in north Shropshire and northeast Wales.
- They’re recognised as a UK National Nature Reserve (NNR), a Special Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI), an international Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a Ramsar site of international wetland importance.
- After centuries of peat cutting that damaged much of the peatbog, it’s being regenerated by Natural England and Natural Resourse Wales, courtesy of a five-year, multi-million pound grant from the international BogLIFE group, along with funding from SWT and other private groups.
Helping to fight climate change
![](https://themeresandmosses.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Wide-view-sunny-S.-Barlow-June-2020-IMG_4396_2500px-1024x683.jpg)
- The Fenn’s, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses NNR holds 24 million tonnes of carbon.
- Healthy peat locks carbon in, holding more carbon, acre for acre, than woodland.
- But if peat is allowed to dry out, or cut for burning or garden compost, the carbon is released into the atmosphere as CO2, thus adding to the climate crisis.
- Peat is 90% water, making the Mosses a natural protection against flooding – slowing the flow downstream.
The Mosses are home to a wide range of wildlife, much of which can only thrive in the acidic wetlands of a peatbog.
![](https://themeresandmosses.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Murm-2-1024x683.jpg)
Fauna to look out for on the Mosses include:
![](https://themeresandmosses.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Curlew4-1024x687.jpg)
![](https://themeresandmosses.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Snipe-on-Marches-Mossses.jpg)
- Birds such as curlew, lapwing, hobby, short-eared owl and snipe, which has returned since regeneration, make their home on the Mosses.
- Curlew and lapwing can now nest more safely on the new bunding that holds water on the peatland, as higher up and surrounded by peat ponds.
![](https://themeresandmosses.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/IMG_7991-2sm-300x183.jpg)
- The nearby Sinker’s Fields are a winter home of many bird species from Arctic areas: teal, wigeon, shelduck and shoveller ducks.
![](https://themeresandmosses.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Shoveler-small-1024x685.jpg)
![](https://themeresandmosses.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Teal-1.jpg)
![](https://themeresandmosses.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Shelduck-small-1024x614.jpg)
- The woodlands that thrive on the mineral (non-peat) soil around the peat itself are home to songbirds such as stonechat and spotted flycatcher.
![](https://themeresandmosses.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Spotted-Flycatcher-at-the-Manor-House-NNR-base-1024x637.jpg)
![](https://themeresandmosses.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Stonechat-1024x698.jpg)
Photos by Stephen Barlow
- Butterflies: 27 species have been identified, including the large heath, which needs the acidic nature of the peatland.
- Moths: Over 500 species have been identified on the Mosses, including the very rare northern footman.
- Dragonflies and damselflies: With 26 species, that’s more than any other Shropshire location and includes the rare white-faced darter.
- Other invertebrates such as raft spider and the bright green tiger beetle make their home on the Mosses.
![](https://themeresandmosses.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Large-Heath-butterfly-2-1024x683.jpg)
![](https://themeresandmosses.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Gatekeeper-butterfly-1024x683.jpg)
![Wildlife link](https://themeresandmosses.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/male-Brimstone-butterfly-comp-1024x710.jpg)
![](https://themeresandmosses.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Elephant-Hawk-moth-1024x689.jpg)
![](https://themeresandmosses.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Purple-bordered-Gold-moth-1024x665.jpg)
![](https://themeresandmosses.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Four-spotted-Chaser-dragonfly-comp-1024x722.jpg)
![](https://themeresandmosses.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Male-White-faced-Darter-1024x685.jpg)
![By Stephen Barlow](https://themeresandmosses.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/In-the-domain-of-the-Raft-Spider-comp-1024x551.jpg)
![](https://themeresandmosses.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Green-Tiger-Beetle-web.jpg)
All photos by Stephen Barlow
Often, the flora on the Mosses are species that can only survive in the harsh environment of the acidic peatland, including:
![](https://themeresandmosses.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/thumbnail_S-magel_S-pap-C-Heyes-1024x768.jpg)
- Over 70 species have been identified of Sphagnum moss – the building block necessary for new peat growth.
- The rare moss Dicranum undulatum (“Waved fork moss”) has been found on the Mosses.
- Other plants include cranberry, crowberry and sundew, which thrive only in the acidic peatland.
![](https://themeresandmosses.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/sundew-s-barlow-web-1024x551.jpg)
- Plants that grow around the drier edges of the Mosses include cotton grass, bog myrtle, bracken, molinia and heathers.
![](https://themeresandmosses.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Cotton-sedge-on-Marches-Mosses-Mike-Sokolowski-smaller-1024x683.jpg)
Health and wellbeing
![](https://themeresandmosses.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/People-walking.jpg)
- Marked trails around the Mosses, along with the disused railway pathway, are a great place to walk. These provide an opportunity to look at the wildlife of the Mosses and to take in the quiet, peaceful atmosphere of this special environment.
- Additional visitor facilities are around the mosses, such as the Mammoth Tower on the edge of the Mosses, which visitors can climb for a bird’s eye view of the amazing expanse and beauty of the Mosses. There is also a wheelchair accessible bird hide on the Charles Sinker Fields.
![](https://themeresandmosses.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Tower-Credit-Stuart-300x225.jpg)
At first glance, the Mosses might seem austere, even barren, but with a bit of patience – or just standing still to watch and listen – the magic and mystery of the Mosses comes to life around visitors.
![](https://themeresandmosses.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Cotton-sedge-section-16-Stephen-Barlow-IMG_4383_2500px-300x200.jpg)