Wem Moss bog cotton
thousands of years of history lie trapped beneath their surface
Shropshire, Cheshire and Staffordshire Wildlife Trusts
The Meres and Mosses - pools of water and raised peat bogs - form a vast and strange landscape spilling across north Shropshire and into Cheshire, Staffordshire and Wales.
Formed by glaciers retreating after the last ice age, thousands of years of history lie trapped beneath their surface, from the stumps of long-drowned trees beneath the meres, to the bodies of long-buried men found perfectly preserved within the mossy bogs.
Unknown to many in the outside world, the meres and mosses are a wetland of international importance. While only a fragment of their former size, they are still home to many plants and insects that are rarely found elsewhere. These populations are fragile, however, as is the landscape they rely on. The Wildlife Trusts are working with other organisations across this huge region to restore this fragmented wetland for both the wildlife and people that live there.
Virtual tour by Mike McFarlane
What's happening?
This Living Landscape has received funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund's Landscape Partnership Scheme and has been selected as a Nature Improvement Area (NIA).
Work will include targeted and co-ordinated action for habitats and species including work on seven natural meres, 400 hectares of wet grassland and 150 hectares of floating bog, raised bog and fen.
This is dairying country and we are working with Muller to support their milk suppliers to become more environmentally active and to tell the public about their work.
Scheme area: 13,225 hectares
Trust reserves within the scheme
The Mere at Ellesmere, Wood Lane, Colemere, the nature reserves of Fenns,
Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses, Wem Moss, Prees Heath, Whitchurch and
Cheshire Wildlife Trust’s HQ at Bickley Hall Farm.
This scheme is helping species including...
Large heath butterfly, small heath butterfly, adder, the rare white-faced darter dragonfly, sundews, water starworts, water lilies, water vole, argent and sable moths, raft spider, great crested newt
Current threats to the landscape
Intensive farming leading to nutrient enrichment; commercial peat cutting; land drainage schemes
This scheme is also...
Helping wildlife adapt to climate change, improving water quality, storing carbon, improving access for people, encouraging green tourism, providing environmental education
Partners
Natural England, Environment Agency, Butterfly Conservation, local authorities, Northern Marches Leader, Muller Dairies, Shropshire Sailing Club, Walford & North Shropshire College.
To find out more
Shropshire Wildlife Trust | Tel: 01743 284280 | Meres And Mosses Living Landscape Meres and Mosses - Into the Future
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 Adam Cormack.JPG)