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The Meres & Mosses of Shropshire and Cheshire are an ancient mosaic of wetlands, important for some of the rarest wildlife in the UK.
Delamere, in the northern part of the Sandstone Ridge area includes a particularly important concentration of over 130 meres and mosses, hidden amongst the trees and woodland.
The Cheshire Wildlife Trust has been working with partner agencies, landowners and local communities in the Delamere area to create a resilient network of these wetlands that people can enjoy and value. By removing trees from the basins and installing dams to re-wet them, the Trust is creating 'stepping stones' of quality habitats to help species like butterflies, dragonflies, and reptiles.
Mosslands also host some very specialised plants such as sundew, bilberry, cranberry, bog rosemary and royal fern. It's not only wildlife that is benefitting; mosslands are a "carbon sink" and can store masses of carbon, helping to limit the effects of climate change.
The rare white faced darter dragonfly, which became extinct in the region over ten years ago, is being reintroduced back into Delamere Forest with the support of the Forestry Commission, and is benefiting from the widespread mossland restoration work.
Visit the Cheshire Wildlife Trust to read about the achievements so far.