Drumburgh Moss NNR

Drumburgh Moss NNR is a lowland raised mire formed following the last Ice Age as vegetation in-filled a body of standing water and eventually formed peat. Sphagnum moss, sundew and other bog-loving plants thrive here with as many as 13 species of Sphagnum recorded. Drainage for agriculture has dried out the bog, so Cumbria Wildlife Trust have been working to restore the habitat to its natural state and manage the land through conservation grazing with Exmoor ponies.

Drumburgh Moss NNR is one of four important lowland raised bogs on the South Solway.

Cumbria Wildlife Trust has carried out extensive restoration work including:

• Hydrological management e.g. ditch blocking
• Peat profiling
• Vegetation removal e.g. trees and scrub.

Continuous management includes grazing by Exmoor ponies and longhorn cattle to keep the vegetation open and prevent scrub from dominating. The site is open to visitors, with a 800m waymarked footpath and viewing platform providing a good view across the site.

The Trust has a monitoring programme in place.

Drumburgh Moss is home to a number of specialist bog plants including Sphagnum; also found here is cotton grass, cranberry, bog rosemary, heather and sundew (including the scarce great sundew).

Birds on site can include curlew, skylark, reed bunting, red grouse, redshank, snipe, grasshopper warbler and short-eared owls.

Common lizard and adders are also common here.