Lenzie Moss is a
local nature reserve in
Lenzie
Lenzie () is an affluent town by the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway in the East Dunbartonshire council area of Scotland. It is about north-east of Glasgow city centre and south of Kirkintilloch. At the 2011 census, it had a population of 8,873. ...
,
East Dunbartonshire
East Dunbartonshire ( sco, Aest Dunbartanshire; gd, Siorrachd Dhùn Bhreatainn an Ear) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It borders the north of Glasgow and contains many of the affluent areas to the north of the city, including Bear ...
, Scotland. It is a boggy, marshy area that has not been built on. The reserve comprises
lowland raised bogs, which were extensively exploited for peat, and now feature the characteristics of peat cutting, and several acres of deciduous woodland mainly made up of
silver birch
''Betula pendula'', commonly known as silver birch, warty birch, European white birch, or East Asian white birch, is a species of tree in the family Betulaceae, native to Europe and parts of Asia, though in southern Europe, it is only found ...
. The area is a sanctuary for wildlife, including rabbits, deer and foxes.
The
Lenzie Peat Railway
Lenzie Peat Railway was a Narrow gauge railway, narrow-gauge railway which ran on Lenzie Moss, which is situated to the west of the town of Lenzie in Scotland.
The bogs of the moss were exploited for peat, and the site was served by a railway ...
was a narrow gauge railway which ran on Lenzie Moss serving the peat trade.
Threats of development
In 2012 locals feared that the nature reserve was under threat after Lenzie Rugby Football Club revealed plans to develop land that borders Lenzie Moss. A local resident said: “Lenzie Moss is a unique asset and people go there for peace and tranquillity. Any development will destroy the place.”
In 1989 the rugby club had applied for planning permission for 45 houses to be built on the moss, this led to opposition and petitions from locals. Protests against developing the site have attracted hundreds of local people.
The Friends of Lenzie Moss is a group formed in 1985 by enthusiasts dedicated to the conservation of Lenzie Moss.
Incidents
There are ongoing problems with gangs of youths gathering on the moss. These include drinking and drug taking (and the associated littering) as well as instances of inter-gang violence. In July 2012 a 16 year old male was charged with attempted murder after a boy of 14 was hospitalised after being stabbed on the area of the Moss near Alexandra Avenue.
References
Specific
General
*http://www.kirkintilloch-herald.co.uk/news/local-headlines/residents_warn_over_moss_flooding_dangers_1_356694
*http://www.kirkintilloch-herald.co.uk/news/local-headlines/moss_open_day_combines_fun_and_learning_1_364071
External links
Friends of Lenzie Mosssave Lenzie moss action groupVideo and commentary on Lenzie Moss
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Lenzie
Local nature reserves in Scotland
Protected areas of East Dunbartonshire