Vegetation survey of Moor House National Nature Reserve 2008-2009

In 2008, it was thought timely to undertake a re-survey of part of the Moor House reserve, as the previous vegetation survey had taken place over 50 years earlier. The re-survey was carried out in June, July and August of 2008, and July and August 2009 (a few additional plots were surveyed in 2012). Time constraints restricted the survey area to the Troutbeck catchment area of the Moor House reserve, an area largely dominated by Calluna vulgaris and Eriophorum vaginatum. As it was not possible to identify the exact locations of the 1960s plots at that time, it was decided that a grid based sampling approach should be used, with plots spaced at 200m intervals (with some plots spaced at 100m intervals). Plots were located using GPS. The size of the plot was 2x2m. At each quadrat point, altitude, slope, aspect, and vegetation height were all measured. The depth of the underlying peat was also measured using an extendable ranging pole. The vegetation cover was recorded using an electronic tablet. Absence/presence of species was recorded, along with the percentage cover of the species within the quadrat to the nearest 5%. Full training was provided for the surveyors, and the resulting species lists have been checked for accuracy.