Peak District Moorland Group respond to Sheffield Star article

The Peak District Moorland Group have written to The Sheffield Star in response to an article titled: “Sheffield countryside: Concerns over plans for nine-mile 'rewilding' fence encircling moors near Sheffield.”

The response was as follows:

The Peak District Moorland Group are surprised that such a large scale project is being planned for the Dark Peak area.

Whilst fencing can be beneficial and obviously cheaper than the dry stone walls of our historical past, it also comes with it worries which include the wide scale exclusion of livestock, which can be essential in reducing vegetation build up in key areas.

Sheep are a tried and tested method of tick reduction which unfortunately are increasing at an alarming rate in the Peak District, impacting not only on fauna but also on human health.  

While we appreciate that the National Trust are looking at a novel and landscape scale rewilding model for their moorland landholdings, we have great concerns that they are simply adding extra combustible vegetation fuel mass, which will outstrip any current capabilities that the Fire and Rescue Services and land managers have of controlling in the event of a summer wildfire.

Our Dark Peak moors are a stronghold for specialist ground nesting birds, and bird strikes on wire fences are well documented. But maybe we will not need to unduly worry about this in the future if our curlew and golden plover are displaced by scrubland bird species in the future?