The Bog Squad returned to action this past weekend at Black Moss in Armadale, West Lothian. This moss has undergone some significant restoration work in the past few years funded by Peatland Action. However the far eastern corner of the moss is still criss-crossed by ditches which take precious water away from the bog leaving it dry and degraded.
So our task for the day was to begin blocking some of the ditches with dams. We were using a material called plastic piling which is inserted vertically into the ditch and slots together forming a near-watertight barrier. The idea is to use these dams at strategic points in the ditch network to help slow the rate at which water drains from the moss. Hopefully pools of water build up with the wetting effect spreading out through the peat behind each dam. The effect of re-wetting in turn creates improved conditions for key bog species such as sphagnum moss to re-establish.
Many thanks again to those volunteers who came along to help. Next time out we shall be at Kingshill Local Nature Reserve (near Shotts) on Sun 12th Feb 2017. Maybe see some of you there.......