Restoring Peatland Habitats

involves rebuilding the complex relationship between soil, flora, and fauna. This interdependence between the layers of the ecosystem requires a holistic approach to the process of restoration and particularly for successful plant establishment.

Magnification of the root of Vaccinium myrtilus showing the successful inoculation by mycorrhizae, identified by blue dye staining.

The starting point is to develop a close understanding of the soil dynamics of the site. This is pivotal to the successful re-introduction of plant communities and their ability to proliferate.

Information taken from soil analysis, site hydrology and stability is applied to the plant production methods.

Fungal root associations may be significant to plants establishing in hostile environments. Work carried out in conjunction with the University of Sheffield has developed a technique for inoculating the young plants with the correct fungi for the development of such hyphal strands.

Plants are grown from mother plants sourced from a specific site or location. Local provenance of propagation material adds to the robustness and suitability of the planted material.

The large scale propagation of plants that are unique to the area can be achieved through mod-ern methods of micro-propagation. Numbers can be quickly bulked up from small quantities of origi-nal plants to achieve cost effective propagation compared to traditional methods.

Successful establishment on difficult sites requires plants to be already adapted to the environment prior to planting out. This provides the oppor-tunity for rapid root growth. Through processes of compost compatibility, pruning timing and hardening off, the new plants are adjusted to the site conditions.

Soil Horizons also hand plant structurally important species, such as bilberry and cotton grass, directly into the peat. We are currently utilising methods of propagating and applying Sphagnum moss to try and restart peat formation.

Soil Horizons and integration

OUR CLIENTS INCLUDE:MOORS FOR THE FUTURETHE NATIONAL TRUSTUNITED UTILITIESBRITISH WATERWAYSTHE WILDLIFE TRUSTTRANSCOPENNY ANDERSON ASSOCIATES

CONTACT:MARK EARLE 07967 004539

SOIL HORIZONSHIGH LEGH ESTATE OFFICEHIGH LEGHNR KNUTSFORDCHESHIREWA16 0QS01925 757800

MARK EARLE (HORTICULTURE) | DR NEAL WRIGHT (MICRO-PROPAGATION) | STEVE HADDEN (SOIL SCIENTIST)