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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

The digger is back! The work on our sites this season will mostly involve blocking old drainage ditches, rather than reprofiling hags. Blocking these ditches will help to slow the flow of water off the hills and keep the #peat wet 💦

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Autumn has definitely arrived on our hills. The sphagnum moss is starting to show it's true colours and the cottongrass is turning the hills copper. Surely this is one of the most beautiful times of the year? 😊 #peatland

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Fabulous #fungi 😍 No is a great time to see what fungi can be found on the hills. This orange one was so small that it was only noticeable due to its vibrant colour. If anyone would like to suggest what it is we'd be very grateful 🙏

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Our site at Black Hut has been enjoying the sunshine and showers! As well as benefitting the sphagnum moss that was planted last winter, this weather has encouraged the growth of other mosses, heather and fungi 🍄

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Some beautiful colours in a rather desolate landscape 😊 This site was badly burned by a fire more than fifty years ago. We're planning to trial some techniques to reduce the erosion and help revegetate this area, but this will be a long process with around 15 hectares damaged by the fire.

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Who's been eating all the berries? 👀 The blaeberries are pretty much over now, but the birds have enjoyed a feast, judging by their droppings! Crowberries can still be found on the hills if you look hard, as these pathogen-resistant fruits can last throughout the winter 😊

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Before we even finished installing this dam we were visited by a beautiful common hawker dragonfly laying her eggs in the sphagnum moss 😍

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Monitoring of our #peatland restoration sites is required every couple of years, to check if any maintenance is needed, and it was great to see that much of the work at Mullagh Ouyr was hardly visible 😊

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Just look at how much this sphagnum has grown 😍 These small clumps of #sphagnum moss were planted by a hardy group of volunteers in November last year and have increased to around six times their size in about eight months! #peatland

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

To follow on from the previous post, this is what can happen once eroding ditches are 'zipped' shut. Instead of a deep eroding ditch, we have a damp area of hillside with sphagnum moss blooming 😊 These damp areas are important for wildlife, especially during prolonged dry weather.

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Why do we need to do restoration work on the hills? This drainage ditch has continued to erode many years after it was dug, leaving it very deep and very hidden - a hazard for livestock and any unsuspecting walkers or runners!

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

We definitely need more rain 🙏🏻💦 however it is good to see that our work is helping to keep the hills wet. Slowing the flow of water is especially important in prolonged dry weather, but is also important after heavy rain as it can reduce erosion 😊 #peatland

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Most of our work is focussed on upland peat sites, so it was a nice change to visit this lowland site this morning. Areas of open water are fringed with aromatic bog myrtle and full of bullrush and water mint. Add the hum of insects and it was a real feast for the senses 😊

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

A quick visit to this site today showed how much the vegetation has enjoyed the sunshine and showers 😊Restoration work has transformed this site from an eroding #peat pipe to a shallow pool, which looks much nicer and is better for wildlife 🦋🐦

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

Yesterday we were lucky enough to be joined by fabulous singer songwriter David Gray for a tour of some of the Island's curlew breeding sites. David is a patron of Curlew Action and 'The Curlew' perfectly captures the magic of these birds: www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKfy...

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

Have you ever wondered where our restoration sites are and what we've been doing? Wonder no more! We now have a page on our website showing where we've been working, what we've been doing and why 😊 www.manxpeat.org/sites

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Bog beacons brightening up the bog 😍 This #fungus is only found in really wet areas and is scarce 💦 It feeds on rotting leaves, mosses and algae, breaking them into compounds that provide nutrients for other plants 🌿 They have a whitish stem, which is hidden under the water in this photo.

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

The #peat at this site was historically cut for fuel, leaving bare eroding 'peat pans'. We used a digger for reprofiling then got to work by hand, with lots of help from volunteers 🙏 It will be several years before we really start to see the impact of the work, but initial signs are promising 😊

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

Some lovely finds today while surveying a site 😊 This unassuming hummock of sphagnum moss was home to carnivorous sundews, several orchids and a tiny lesser twayblade 😍 It's amazing what you can find when you look closely! 🌿

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

Nice to see this fungi growing on an area of bare #peat on Beinn-y-Phott 😀 Not sure what it is though, so if anyone has any ideas please let us know! 🍄

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

Today is hot hot hot 🥵 Luckily most of our shallow #peatland pools are still wet 💦 which is great news for invertebrates and birds 😊

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

Time for a yarn? Could local wool 🐏be returned to the #Manx hills to help with #peatland restoration? That’s what we’re hoping to find out by trialling wool logs on our restoration sites. Read all about it in our latest blog 🧐👇 www.manxpeat.org/blog/time-fo...

manxpeat.org

Time for a yarn? — Manx Peat Partnership

Could local wool be returned to the hills to help with restoration work?

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

The weather is looking lovely this weekend, so if you're heading for the hills, or just fancy finding out about #peatland wildlife, have a listen to the Wild Thing podcast from Manx Radio 😊 We've also included a link on our website 👇 www.manxpeat.org/media

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Reposted by Manx Peat Partnership

Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

Not long now until the hills turn white with fluffy cottongrass seed heads 😍 Cottongrass loves wet, peaty habitats and spreads by seed and by underground rhizomes. It is particularly good for covering areas of bare peat and providing shelter for sphagnum moss to become established 🌿

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

Thanks to the lovely people who joined us for a guided walk around one of our peatland restoration sites on Wednesday 😍 We discussed #peatlands, their #wildlife, their historical and cultural importance, and were treated to a visit by a male hen harrier 😊 The weather wasn't too bad either😉

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

The marsh violets are flowering among the Sphagnum moss 🌸😍 These flowers arise from creeping underground runners and typically bloom from April to July. Like us, they love #bogs, #peat and marshy ground 😁 💦

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

To wear a winter coat or not 🤔 is one of the difficult decisions you might have to make at this time of year 😉 Don't worry, you're not alone! This mountain hare has gone for the 'half on, half off' approach, which seems very sensible given the changing weather and temperatures 😎🥶

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

It's that time of year when the hills are alive with new growth 😍 This moss, known as 'bog haircap moss', is glowing with capsules held on slender red stems, called 'seta'. Once the capsules mature, they will release their spores to the wind, allowing the moss to disperse 💨🌿

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

Trapping sediment and water on damaged #peatland has multiple benefits 👍 The slower movement of water creates shallow pools which benefit invertebrates and ground nesting birds 🌿🐦 Peaty sediment is deposited behind the bunds, preventing it from reaching water courses and reservoirs 😊

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

After some heavy lifting we've started to install wool rolls from Sustainable Rope 🐏 These are 100% wool rolls which we are trialling to see how they work compared with the coir rolls we've used so far🤔 We hope they work well, as it would be great to use local wool to help restore our #peatlands 😀

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

The misty stillness amplifies the song of the skylarks on Snaefell 🐦🎶 It'll soon be time to finish work for the season and let the birds enjoy all the lovely shallow pools we've created ☺️

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

Our latest blog 'peatlands and people' features on the IUCN Peatland Programme news page 😊 If you haven't read it yet, check it out here ⬇️ www.iucn-uk-peatlandprogramme.org/news

iucn-uk-peatlandprogramme.org

News

Keep up to date with the latest stories, research, projects and challenges as we work to tackle the climate and nature crisis.

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Spring is an exciting time on the hills, as we get to see how the vegetation is responding to our work 😀 Last year's beige spikes of bog asphodel will soon be replaced by vibrant yellow flowers 🌸🌿 and cottongrass flowers were spotted on Beinn-y-Phott yesterday 😍 #peatland

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

The sunny weather has brought the mountain hares out to play 😎 Our #peatland contractor spotted four on his walk to work - they still have their white winter coats, so they're easy to see 🐰 This video is from last spring, but it's worth another watch 😊

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

The bunds are doing their thing during this wet weather 😀 Bunds can be placed across eroding water channels to slow the flow of water, trap sediment and create shallow pools 💦 We currently use heather bales and coir logs, but are planning to trial wool logs shortly 🐑 Watch this space 👀 #peatland

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 18/02/2026

Ravens (Corvus corax) can often been seen in upland areas and the local Snaefell pair are particularly friendly. They regularly greet contractors with a 'cronk cronk' call, and occasionally engage in 'conversation' with a particular contractor 😊 The #Manx for raven is 'feeagh'.

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 11/02/2026

Even on wet and misty days, the hills are full of colour if you look closely 😍 The lichen Cladonia floerkeana is common on heathland and drier areas of #peat 💚 Sphagnum mosses always add vibrant colour to peatland areas. Occasionally, we find 'gifts' left on sphagnum hummocks from a bird of prey 🦅

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 09/02/2026

We have started growing locally sourced sphagnum moss for our #peatland restoration work 🌿 😀 This follows a small trial at the end of last summer and subsequent advice from Gill at the Calderdale Sphagnum Project 💦 To find out how it grows, watch this space 👀

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

On a cold and very windy day we were joined by Andy and Ann from www.ffpolymers.com 😊 They are the manufacturers of the low ground pressure digger tracks used for our restoration work, and were keen to see the tracks in action while they were visiting the #IsleOfMan

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

Despite the recent cold weather, we've been hard at work on Snaefell 🥶 The #diggers have been reprofiling the #peat hags 🌿 and ground workers have been installing coir materials to reduce erosion 💦 It's challenging to get these materials to the site, with much of the movement done by hand 💪

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

It's very atmospheric today and the diggers are making the most of dry the weather 😊 The wind and rain has been replaced with rolling mist, but a combination of a bespoke peat survey app and high-tech garden canes ensure that the drivers can find the peat hags. The dogs are also helping 🐕😂

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

There was a resurgence of #peat cutting on the #IsleOfMan during the war, including the use of #internee labour. There was also a strike by workers complaining about the weather and the challenging work! See: www.linkedin.com/posts/manx-p...

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 22/01/2026

Peatlands are a great preserver of the past, giving an insight into the plants and animals that once inhabited the Isle of Man 🦌One of the most famous is the Irish elk, preserved in a kettle hole, which can now be seen in the Manx Museum. See www.linkedin.com/posts/manx-p...

linkedin.com

#wwd2026 #yearofmanx | Manx Peat Partnership

Peatlands are a great preserver of the past, giving an insight into the plants and animals that once inhabited the Isle of Man 🌿 🦌One of the most famous is the Irish elk (Megaloceros giganteus), whic...

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

The importance of #peatlands in #Manx culture is evident in the literature, art and music of the Island. This picture shows a couple sitting before an open 'chiollagh' or 'fireplace', where peat would have been burned for warmth and cooking 🔥

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

The old tracks from the days of #peat cutting are still visible on the #Manx hills if you know what to look for 👀 For more info see www.linkedin.com/company/manx... or www.facebook.com/profile.php?... #wwd2025 #yearofmanx

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

It probably sound very similar, like a drawn out 'moan' I think 😊

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Manx Peat Partnership @manxpeat.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

If you wander over the hills, you may be able to imagine what they were like in times past 🤔 Manx history is written in the land, and gathering #peat for fuel had a big influence on what we see there today. For more info see: www.linkedin.com/company/manx... or www.facebook.com/profile.php?...

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