Red Moss is a

wetland A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The ...

mossland in

Greater Manchester Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county and combined authority area in North West England, with a population of 2.8 million; comprising ten metropolitan boroughs: Manchester, Salford, Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tamesid ...

, located south of Horwich and east of Blackrod. This is a national Site of Special Scientific Interest in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, due to its biodiversity and undisturbed character. Pollen analysis has revealed the first peat deposits of the northwest's mosslands to be from around 8,000 years BC making Red Moss an impressive 10,000 years old. Red Moss covers an area of 47.2 hectares. A severed female head was discovered in Red Moss in the 19th century dating from the Bronze Age or early Iron Age. Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council owns most of the moss, but parts of the site are also owned by British Rail and United Utilities.

History

In 1999, the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside was asked to manage the area of land owned by Bolton Council with the aim of restoring suitable water levels and conditions for the growth of mossland species. Since 1999, the Trust has been undertaking large-scale capital works to block drainage ditches and raise water levels within the mossland to a level suitable for the growth of mossland species. Baulkways, strips of higher land, have been created to isolate the mossland so that the site is now fed purely from rainfall and helps protect the site from pollution. Water levels have risen considerably and mossland vegetation is now beginning to flourish over a wider area of the site. It is also hoped that in the future many of the species that have been lost can be re-established. In May 2010, the area was badly damaged by a fire.

Fauna and flora

Fauna

Snipe and teal breed on the open mossland and the locally scarce black darter is present.

Flora

The site is notable for its diversity of sphagnum moss species, with nine species identified as present on the site. Other plants present include

common cottongrass Common may refer to: Places * Common, a townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland * Boston Common, a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts * Cambridge Common, common land area in Cambridge, Massachusetts * Clapham Common, originally ...

and hare's tail cottongrass and purple moor grass, which dominates most of the site.

References

{{coord, 53.58890, -2.55287, type:landmark_region:GB_source:enwiki-osgb36(SD635104), display=title Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Greater Manchester Environment of Greater Manchester Geography of the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton