Charity receives vital backing for Dartmoor project

Leading conservation charity Devon Wildlife Trust is celebrating the news that it has received a £38,000 funding boost from SITA Trust to support its Emsworthy Mire Restoration Project. Emsworthy Mire forms part of Devon Wildlife Trust's beautiful Emsworthy nature reserve. The reserve sits between Haytor and Widecombe-in the-Moor, in the heart of Dartmoor. It is a very popular spot with walkers and other visitors. Emsworthy's Mire is a particularly good example of a valley mire: areas of water-logged deep peat in valley bottoms with characteristic acid wetland plant communities. The valley mires on Dartmoor, including Emsworthy's, are of international importance to wildlife and are of high quality with many rare plants. Devon Wildlife Trust's Steve Hussey said: 'Emsworthy's mire is especially rich in wildlife. Some of the characteristic plant species which are supported there are bog asphodel, round-leaved sundew, pale butterwort, bog bean, cotton grass and marsh lousewort. In summer, the mire is home to many dragonflies and other insects including keeled skimmers and the rare marsh fritillary butterfly. In winter, it is wading birds such as snipe and golden plover that visitors will see.' However, the mire and its plant and animal communities are at risk because it borders semi-natural grassland and open moorland grazed by livestock. Stone walls and fence boundaries which once kept livestock well away from the mire have fallen into disrepair and this has led to the site being over-grazed and its condition has deteriorated. Now, funding from SITA Trust will allow Devon Wildlife Trust to restore the valley mire. Specifically it will allow: 

• Re-building and repair of the historically important dry stone walls between the mire and surrounding fields 
• Installation of new fencing along the mire's other boundaries 
• Control of encroaching scrub woodland 

Steve Hussey added: 'These works will allow grazing levels in the mire to be fully controlled so that the sensitive wetland plants can recover. It will also allow us to promote the growth and spread of the plant Devil's-bit scabious which supports two of the nature reserve's rarest inhabitants, the marsh fritillary and the narrow-bordered bee hawkmoth.' Marek Gordon CEO and Chairman of SITA Trust added 'We are delighted to have been able to support this project through the Landfill Communities Fund. This important source of funding has been available since 1997 and has provided such worthy projects with more than £1.2 billion.' SITA Trust provides funding through the Landfill Communities Fund. Funding is available for projects that enhance communities and enrich nature.

 'Devon Wildlife Trust's beautiful Emsworthy nature reserve on Dartmoor is set to see a make-over' - Photo copyright Simon Williams.