About Moorland Habitat
The moorland group includes mostly upland peat-based habitats, including wet and dry heath, blanket bog and upland grassland. These habitats are found where soils are acidic, often wet and nutrient poor, where heather, grasses, sedges and mosses thrive. The long tradition of human influence in the uplands has meant that the plants and animals that live there have evolved alongside the activities of people for thousands of years. However, accelerated changes and activities, including drainage, peat cutting, over grazing, afforestation and wind farms constructed on peat, have reduced the quantity and quality of habitats available to birds, leading to significant declines in some bird populations. Restoration of moorland habitats provides many other benefits, including the prevention of carbon release and improvements to water quality.
