The North York Moors are atypical uplands because of their low altitude and low rainfall. Many are intensively managed as grouse moors.
This report was commissioned to find out:
- Whether under, Common Standards Monitoring, the North York Moors Sites of Special Scientific Interest could achieve ‘favourable condition’.
- What management, if any, would enable them to reach this condition.
The report concentrates on two main areas:
- The lack of bryoflora diversity and how bryoflora diversity could be enhanced using Burning Management Plans.
- The lack of bryoflora cover to protect the peat layer on further re-burning and whether ‘cool burns’ were possible where such a protective layer did not exist.
The findings will be used by the local Natural England team to:
- Draw up prescriptions for Higher Level Stewardship Burning Management Plans.
- To help justify the need for ‘no – burn’ areas on intensively managed grouse moors.
- To identify burning rotations that will maximise bryoflora diversity on moors not managed for grouse.