News

Blanket Bogs are worth protecting

Moors for the Future Partnership have produced a great series of five short films to help people understand the multiple benefits of healthy blanket bogs and why they are precious and worth protecting.

Blanket bogs are worth protecting because they’re huge stores of carbon

Blanket bogs are unusual places. Because of how wet they are, dead plants don’t decompose like they do in other habitats. They do something else instead. And what they do sucks carbon dioxide out of the air and locks it into the ground.

Join Robin, a Moors for the Future Partnership Junior Ranger, as she discusses why blanket bogs are so important for locking up carbon and tackling climate change.

Blanket bogs are worth protecting because they reduce the risk and severity of flooding

It rains a lot on the moors of the Peak District and South Pennines. The unique plants that grow on healthy blanket bogs slow the flow of rain from the moors to the towns and cities below.

Mollie from Moors for the Future Partnership carries out an experiment on Bleaklow in the Peak District to show us how these landscapes can reduce the risk and severity of flooding.

Blanket bogs are worth protecting because they improve the quality of water flowing into our rivers and reservoirs

On the hills above the cities of Sheffield and Manchester, lies an internationally important habitat called blanket bog. Healthy blanket bogs can improve the quality of the water that runs into the rivers and reservoirs that provide our houses with water.

Join Andrew from Yorkshire Water as he performs an experiment to show us how blanket bogs improve the water that runs through our taps.

Blanket bogs are worth protecting because of the wide range wildlife they support

Blanket bogs are special habitats that provide a home for an array of beautiful wildlife. Sitting on top of peat soil that is thousands of years old, the plants and animals that live there have to be specially adapted for the wild weather and waterlogged conditions that encompass this distinct landscape.

Join Kait from the National Trust, a partner in Moors for the Future Partnership, to see some of the exquisite creatures that call these special places home.

Blanket bogs are worth protecting because they are vast open spaces where people can enjoy nature, wildlife and space

The vast open landscapes of the Peak District and South Pennine moors provide a sanctuary for people to breathe and play. Calm yet wild, the moors are important for our health and wellbeing.

Working with Moors for the Future Partnership, Carol from Peak District Mosaic, tells us how the moors have inspired her to have adventures and to find out more about what makes these landscapes so special.

Help protect our Peat Bogs – Get Involved

Cotton Famine Road Project Proposal

Christmas Message

Christmas message from the Chair

In writing this not a lot seems to have changed from this time last year. On the positive side, vaccination meant a return to near normal. We went back to work and managed to get hair cuts again. Then came Omicron which seems to have put us back somewhat.
At present we don’t have Government mandating what we can and cannot do but public reaction seems to be putting the hospitality industry back into crisis at this important time for them.
The good news seems to be that vaccination is working well and keeping hospital admissions down.
The Forum has been active this year, particularly with our Off Road Initiative, raising funds and organising works to protect our Moor and I would like to thank our Trustees who have stepped down for their commitment and to welcome our new Trustees on board.
I do hope that you will all be able to have as good a time as possible this Christmas whilst remaining safe and well.
On behalf of the Forum I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.
Andy Meek
Chair – RMNF

Protecting our Moorland

High Sheriff of Greater Manchester – Area Visit

On Friday 1st October 2021 the High Sheriff of Greater Manchester, Diane Hawkins, visited the area to look at the work being done to reduce the damage being caused by illegal off-road vehicles to the moorland surrounding Rochdale.

Over the last five years a central theme of Spotland & Falinge Ward and Norden Ward area meetings has been the adverse effect of illegal off-road vehicles (motorbikes, 4X4’s, quads, etc.) on residents, the environment, upland farming and leisure activities (horse riding, rambling, running, etc.). During that time Greater Manchester Police and United Utilities have worked together to try and diminish these illegal activities, primarily to reduce pollutants in the water run-off going into our local reservoirs and to lessen the possibility of a major incident should a vehicle full of fuel and oil end up in a reservoir.

More recently global warming and damage to peat, which is a natural carbon store, has come to the forefront and we can all see for ourselves the adverse effect unlawful off-roading is having on the natural environment, which includes protected species of ground nesting birds. Upland farming is suffering with livestock being stressed or killed, sheep aborting lambs and grazing being destroyed. Even the local windfarm on Scout Moor and the nearby Marshalls Quarry have been affected with damage to service tracks and regularly having to take action to neutralise spilled oil and petrol, removing petrol cans, broken glass and litter. And there’s always the risk, during those warm summer days when we like to get out into the open, of a moorland fire being started by a vehicle’s hot exhaust or a broken bottle acting like a magnifying glass – let’s not forget the recent moorland fires on Saddleworth Moor and Winter Hill.

As a result a group of like-minded volunteers decided to step up and work with the various organisations to try and do something positive to help, and on Friday Mrs Hawkins was able to see first-hand the collaboration between the various organisations that have pulled together to protect our moorland.

It’s quite staggering to see the number of organisations involved and we are grateful for the help and support from the High Sheriff, the Greater Manchester Lieutenancy Office of the Duchy of Lancaster, the Greater Manchester High Sheriffs Police Trust, the Lord of the Manor of Rochdale, Greater Manchester Police, Lancashire Police, United Utilities, Rossendale & Pendle Mountain Rescue Team, Rochdale and Rossendale MP’s Sir Tony Lloyd and Jake Berry, Rochdale Council & the Rochdale Ward Councillors and the local Area Forum representatives, the West Pennines Commoners Association, Rochdale and Bury Bridleways Association, BayWa R.E, Marshalls Quarry, Rochdale Ramblers, Peak and Northern Footpaths Society, National Trail Officers for Natural England, Prickshaw & Broadley Fold Neighbourhood Watch, Healey Dell Heritage Centre & Tea Rooms and BBC Northwest News.

Thanks go to David Pheasey for the photographs, which record a memorable day where many people representing their various organisations came together to show it’s possible to work together to achieve a shared objective – Our thanks go to all involved!

Please click on any image to scroll through the photos.

2021 RMNF AGM

SAVE THE DATE!

Our AGM meeting will be online via Zoom on Wednesday 17th November 2021, from 19:00 to 19:40 and a link to the meeting will be provided by email on the day of the meeting to anyone who wishes to participate.

Due to the public health emergency this year’s AGM will consist of the minimum statutory business and all voting will be by proxy. We will contact members who have voting rights and invite them to instruct the Chair to cast their vote. Or, if they wish they can leave the choice to the Chair.

Please see the attached meeting agenda and reports pack. You can get more details or make any comments by emailing: info@RMNF.org.uk

2021 – RMNF AGM – Agenda and Reports Pack

Protecting the moors – Update

Project Update

Following on from our update in May (see: https://www.rmnf.org.uk/protecting-the-moors-around-rochdale/) we are pleased to report that whilst progress has been slow, due to the impact of Covid-19 and a shortage of raw materials, the work completed thus far has resulted in a significant reduction in the number of illegal off-road incidents reported to the Police. The general feedback from members of the public, farmers, residents and user-groups has been very positive too. In certain locations you can already see damaged flora is recovering.

The expected completion date of the project is now September when two more gates and a horse friendly vehicle barrier should be installed, subject to availability of materials.

From the outset of this project, we knew we weren’t going to be able to stop all unauthorised motorised vehicles accessing the moorland, but through a process of education (see the BBC North West news item: https://www.facebook.com/groups/rooleymoorneighbourhoodforum/posts/1812930962213775/) and reducing the number of opportunities to get motorised vehicles on to the moors, we seem to be left with a hard core of illegal off-roaders who simply don’t care about the adverse effect they are having on people, the environment and upland farming.

Fortunately, our project is providing support to Greater Manchester and Lancashire Police enforcement activities and generally speaking, the once silent majority of the public are now vocal in letting offenders know they are not welcome.

We have also seen a great pulling together of the community with the public, Police, local MP’s & Councillors, landowners, businesses, Rochdale Ramblers, Rossendale & Pendle Mountain Rescue Team, Peak and Northern Footpaths Society, National Trail Officers for Natural England, community groups such as Prickshaw & Broadley Fold Neighbourhood Watch and the equestrian community through the Rochdale & Bury Bridleway Association, all contributing to the project by providing information and taking positive action to reduce these illegal off-road activities.

Lancashire Police have introduced a “Rural Task Force”, which is operating to great effect. The facilities management company for Scout Moor Wind Farm has had approval from their client to install two large gates on turbine service tracks. These gates will help enforcement activities by reducing the number of access and egress points to the moors for motorised vehicles. Marshalls Quarry in Edenfield has taken a number of actions to reduce moorland access and egress points for motorised vehicles. United Utilities are taking action to repair walls, fences, styles and gates that have been damaged to facilitate access to the moors via their land. The Lord of the Manor of Rochdale has given permission and provided financial support to inhibit illegal access to their land. Local Members of Parliament are helping RMNF approach companies in the rural area to get involved. Local Councillors and the Rights of Way Officers in Rochdale, Whitworth and Rossendale are looking at the possibility of introducing Public Space Protection Orders (PSPO) to further protect our moorland by making penalties for these illegal activities commensurate with the crime.

Looking to the future RMNF is actively working with other organisations to try and implement similar “off-road mitigation measures” in the area of Lancashire that borders with the RMNF neighbourhood area.