Heysham Moss bog fire is 'blow to conservation'
9 April 2013 Last updated at 17:52 GMT
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-22086361
A "significant blow" was the description of a fire which basically destroyed a nature reserve on the north LAncashire site.
The lancashire wildlife trust states that it probably will take years till the raised bog will recover from the fire and go back to the way it was.Reuben Neville, a member of the trust, claims that the fire possibly threatens the survival of several rare endangered species. The reserve was put up to protect these exact species.
He said: "Critically some of the important bog mosses can be damaged or lost completely.
"It is these Sphagnum mosses as they are known, that are vital for a healthy and actively growing bog.
"With an ability to hold and absorb water they are crucial in regulating the flow of rainfall into the lower layers of peat, keeping the surface layers damp and eventually building up to form new peat.
"Fire can also change the surface of the peat itself reducing its water-holding capacity as well as leaving it susceptible to erosion and degradation."
The fire therefore had a huge impact on what happens in the reserve now and the Lancashire Wildlife trust hopes and prays that their reserve will recover properly. Heysham Moss is a supporter to quite a number of bo plants "including round leaved sundew, bog myrtle, bog rosemary, bog asphodel and the locally-rare white beaked sedge."
The fire occurred on the weekend and was only discovered by staff members on Monday.
Much of the site is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and was purchased by the Lancashire Wildlife Trust in 2004.
9 April 2013 Last updated at 17:52 GMT
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-22086361
A "significant blow" was the description of a fire which basically destroyed a nature reserve on the north LAncashire site.
The lancashire wildlife trust states that it probably will take years till the raised bog will recover from the fire and go back to the way it was.Reuben Neville, a member of the trust, claims that the fire possibly threatens the survival of several rare endangered species. The reserve was put up to protect these exact species.
He said: "Critically some of the important bog mosses can be damaged or lost completely.
"It is these Sphagnum mosses as they are known, that are vital for a healthy and actively growing bog.
"With an ability to hold and absorb water they are crucial in regulating the flow of rainfall into the lower layers of peat, keeping the surface layers damp and eventually building up to form new peat.
"Fire can also change the surface of the peat itself reducing its water-holding capacity as well as leaving it susceptible to erosion and degradation."
The fire therefore had a huge impact on what happens in the reserve now and the Lancashire Wildlife trust hopes and prays that their reserve will recover properly. Heysham Moss is a supporter to quite a number of bo plants "including round leaved sundew, bog myrtle, bog rosemary, bog asphodel and the locally-rare white beaked sedge."
The fire occurred on the weekend and was only discovered by staff members on Monday.
Much of the site is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and was purchased by the Lancashire Wildlife Trust in 2004.
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