Westhay Moor
Encyclopedia
Westhay Moor is a 513.7 hectare
(1269.3 acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest 2.5km north-east of Westhay
village and 4km from Wedmore
in Somerset
, notified in 1971. Westhay Moor is also notified as part of the Somerset Levels and Moors Special Protection Area
under the EU Birds Directive
and as a Ramsar Site, and a National Nature Reserve
.
It is part of the Brue Valley Living Landscape
conservation
project. The project commenced in January 2009 and aims to restore, recreate and reconnect habitat
. It aims to ensure that wildlife is enhanced and capable of sustaining itself in the face of climate change
while guaranteeing farmers and other landowners can continue to use their land profitably. It is one of an increasing number of landscape scale conservation
projects in the UK.
Westhay Moor originally lay at the centre of the most northerly of the two lowland raised bogs that formed in the lower Brue Valley
. They reached their greatest extent at the end of the Iron Age
. In the 1810s Samuel Galton, Jr.
showed that bogs could be drained and dressed with clay and other soil, and built Galton's Canal
.
The peat
from both raised bogs were extensively dug for fuel up until the end of World War 2 after which they were dug for horticultural peat. Large parts of Westhay Moor have now been dug back to the underlying clay exposing estuarine deposits dating from about 6000 BP before isolation from the sea and peat formation began. In 1970 the Somerset Wildlife Trust
bought the first part of the last 30 acres (12.1 ha) of acid raised bog vegetation left on the Somerset Moors undamaged by peat digging or agriculture. Since then SWT have bought or been given 100 hectares of former peatworkings. These were sculpted and restored to wetland as the experimental area for the Avalon Marshes. The wetland on the clay is dominated by Phragmites
reed, catstail
and open water. This was the term given in the late 1980s to describe the wetland restored from peat workings in the Brue Valley. The wetland restoration has been a great success and was declared a National Nature Reserve in 1995. Peat working on is now beginning to draw to a close on Westhay Moor and the majority of the remaining peatworkings are now being restored to wetland as they are completed.
Westhay Moor, forms part of the nationally important grazing marsh and ditch systems of the Somerset Levels
and Moors, and is crossed by the River Brue
and Galton's Canal
. Over much of the moor, the water table is high throughout the year with extensive winter flooding occurring regularly. Water tables in the peat
excavations are artificially lowered during active working, but excavations often fill with water for much of the year. Westhay Moor supports a nationally outstanding community of terrestrial and aquatic
invertebrates. At least 28 nationally notable invertebrate species also occur on the moor. The meadows, ditches, abandoned peat workings and hedgerows provide suitable breeding habitats for a diverse and nationally important breeding bird community.
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
(1269.3 acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest 2.5km north-east of Westhay
Westhay
Westhay is a village in Somerset, England. It is situated in the parish of Meare, north west of Glastonbury on the Somerset Levels, in the Mendip district.The name means 'The west field that is enclosed by hedges' from the Old English west and haga...
village and 4km from Wedmore
Wedmore
Wedmore is a village and civil parish in the county of Somerset, England. It is situated on raised ground, in the Somerset Levels between the River Axe and River Brue, often called the Isle of Wedmore. It forms part of Sedgemoor district...
in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, notified in 1971. Westhay Moor is also notified as part of the Somerset Levels and Moors Special Protection Area
Special Protection Area
A Special Protection Area or SPA is a designation under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds.Under the Directive, Member States of the European Union have a duty to safeguard the habitats of migratory birds and certain particularly threatened birds.Together with Special...
under the EU Birds Directive
Birds Directive
The Birds Directive is a European Union directive adopted in 2009. It replaces Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds which was modified several times and had become very unclear...
and as a Ramsar Site, and a National Nature Reserve
National Nature Reserve
For details of National nature reserves in the United Kingdom see:*National Nature Reserves in England*National Nature Reserves in Northern Ireland*National Nature Reserves in Scotland*National Nature Reserves in Wales...
.
It is part of the Brue Valley Living Landscape
Brue Valley Living Landscape
The Brue Valley Living Landscape is a UK conservation project based on the Somerset Levels and Moors and managed by the Somerset Wildlife Trust. The project commenced in January 2009 and aims to restore, recreate and reconnect habitat...
conservation
Conservation biology
Conservation biology is the scientific study of the nature and status of Earth's biodiversity with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and ecosystems from excessive rates of extinction...
project. The project commenced in January 2009 and aims to restore, recreate and reconnect habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
. It aims to ensure that wildlife is enhanced and capable of sustaining itself in the face of climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
while guaranteeing farmers and other landowners can continue to use their land profitably. It is one of an increasing number of landscape scale conservation
Landscape scale conservation
Landscape scale conservation is a concept that has arisen, primarily in the UK since the mid-1990s, in response to both the challenges of climate change and a perceived excessive focus on site based conservation...
projects in the UK.
Westhay Moor originally lay at the centre of the most northerly of the two lowland raised bogs that formed in the lower Brue Valley
River Brue
The River Brue originates in the parish of Brewham in Somerset, England, and reaches the sea some 50 km west at Burnham-on-Sea. It originally took a different route from Glastonbury to the sea, but this was changed by the monastery in the twelfth century....
. They reached their greatest extent at the end of the Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
. In the 1810s Samuel Galton, Jr.
Samuel Galton, Jr.
Samuel "John" Galton Jr. FRS , born in Duddeston, Birmingham, England. Despite being a Quaker he was an arms manufacturer. He was a member of the Lunar Society and lived at Great Barr Hall.He married Lucy Barclay...
showed that bogs could be drained and dressed with clay and other soil, and built Galton's Canal
Galton's Canal
Galton's Canal was a 1 mile 3 furlong canal with one lock, crossing Westhay Moor in Somerset, England, and connecting the River Brue to the North Drain...
.
The peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
from both raised bogs were extensively dug for fuel up until the end of World War 2 after which they were dug for horticultural peat. Large parts of Westhay Moor have now been dug back to the underlying clay exposing estuarine deposits dating from about 6000 BP before isolation from the sea and peat formation began. In 1970 the Somerset Wildlife Trust
Somerset Wildlife Trust
Somerset Wildlife Trust is a wildlife trust covering the county of Somerset, England.The trust, which was established in 1964, aims to safeguard the county's wildlife and wild places for this and future generations and manages almost 80 nature reserves. Examples include Fyne Court, Westhay Moor,...
bought the first part of the last 30 acres (12.1 ha) of acid raised bog vegetation left on the Somerset Moors undamaged by peat digging or agriculture. Since then SWT have bought or been given 100 hectares of former peatworkings. These were sculpted and restored to wetland as the experimental area for the Avalon Marshes. The wetland on the clay is dominated by Phragmites
Phragmites
Phragmites, the Common reed, is a large perennial grass found in wetlands throughout temperate and tropical regions of the world. Phragmites australis is sometimes regarded as the sole species of the genus Phragmites, though some botanists divide Phragmites australis into three or four species...
reed, catstail
Phleum
Phleum is a genus of about 15 species of annual and perennial grasses. The genus is native to Europe, Asia and north Africa, with one species Phleum (catstail or timothy-grass) is a genus of about 15 species of annual and perennial grasses. The genus is native to Europe, Asia and north Africa,...
and open water. This was the term given in the late 1980s to describe the wetland restored from peat workings in the Brue Valley. The wetland restoration has been a great success and was declared a National Nature Reserve in 1995. Peat working on is now beginning to draw to a close on Westhay Moor and the majority of the remaining peatworkings are now being restored to wetland as they are completed.
Westhay Moor, forms part of the nationally important grazing marsh and ditch systems of the Somerset Levels
Somerset Levels
The Somerset Levels, or the Somerset Levels and Moors as they are less commonly but more correctly known, is a sparsely populated coastal plain and wetland area of central Somerset, South West England, between the Quantock and Mendip Hills...
and Moors, and is crossed by the River Brue
River Brue
The River Brue originates in the parish of Brewham in Somerset, England, and reaches the sea some 50 km west at Burnham-on-Sea. It originally took a different route from Glastonbury to the sea, but this was changed by the monastery in the twelfth century....
and Galton's Canal
Galton's Canal
Galton's Canal was a 1 mile 3 furlong canal with one lock, crossing Westhay Moor in Somerset, England, and connecting the River Brue to the North Drain...
. Over much of the moor, the water table is high throughout the year with extensive winter flooding occurring regularly. Water tables in the peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
excavations are artificially lowered during active working, but excavations often fill with water for much of the year. Westhay Moor supports a nationally outstanding community of terrestrial and aquatic
Aquatic animal
An aquatic animal is an animal, either vertebrate or invertebrate, which lives in water for most or all of its life. It may breathe air or extract its oxygen from that dissolved in water through specialised organs called gills, or directly through its skin. Natural environments and the animals that...
invertebrates. At least 28 nationally notable invertebrate species also occur on the moor. The meadows, ditches, abandoned peat workings and hedgerows provide suitable breeding habitats for a diverse and nationally important breeding bird community.