An eco-friendly moorland garden, designed to help people learn more about the landscapes of the Peak District, has opened at our Longshaw Estate.
The new landscape garden has been created at the Moorland Discovery Centre. It encapsulates hundreds of miles of different kinds of moorland landscape all in one easily accessible garden.
The idea behind the garden is to recreate the fragile condition of the Peak District including a moorland planting scheme to encourage visitors to find out more about the landscape and why it's so important for the future of our planet.
The garden will be used as an educational resource for visiting groups. It features a story-telling area, a tiered amphitheatre and disabled access pathways.
Three large planters will be filled with the type of vegetation typical of the upland landscapes all around whilst other areas will feature gritstone boulders, rowan trees, heathland plants and a bird feeding area.
The planters will be fed by a rainwater harvesting system, which re-uses the run off from the roof of the Discovery Centre.
The garden was made possible by a grant from the Yorkshire and North East Derbyshire Ramblers Association who used part of a legacy left by Sheffield-born politician and activist for walker’s rights G H B Ward.
Steph Hinde, one of our countryside officers, explains why understanding moorland landscapes is vital for their protection:
'Well-vegetated moorland in good condition acts like a sponge absorbing water and slowly building up carbon from the atmosphere in the form of peat. These habitats are important for slowing climate change.
'The Peak District moorlands are hugely important as a carbon store and also for retaining water and helping to prevent flash flooding of lowland areas.
'However, damage to moorlands through pollution, human damage and fire destroys the vegetation and underlying peat. Badly eroded areas of the Peak District release more carbon than they absorb.
'By encouraging understanding of how the landscape works and how to use it responsibly, we can help to preserve this vitally important habitat for future generations.'
Our work in the Peak District
We're a member of the Moors for the Future Partnership, a group of organisations working together to protect and care for moorland habitats.
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